TOW #13 - "A Hundred Thousand Straightened Nails"

This glorious essay by Donald Hall highlights the life of Washington Woodward, a distant cousin of the author as described by his grandfather. To summarize the essay, the author talks about how much of a fulfilled life Woodward lived, but how little significance it had to anyone else. He often mentions that New Hampshire (where Woodward lived most of his life alone) was dying and in a constant of decay and being forgotten, which suggests that Woodward's simple way of life was common in New Hampshire, but it has lost popularity throughout the years. Hall describes Woodward most often as a hardworking and skillful man. “The best thing about him [Washington Woodward] was his pride in good work...I knew him to shoe a horse, install plumbing, dig a well, make a gun, build a road, lay a dry stone wall, do the foundation and frame of a house, invent a new kind of trap for beavers, manufacture his own shotgun shells, grind knives and turn a baseball bat on a lathe.” His brilliance and self-sufficiency led many to think of him as a miser, but the author tossed that idea to the wind in an amazing way. He said that a miser would leave a hundred thousand dollars behind a mirror for his family when he died, but Woodward left behind a hundred thousand straightened nails because "it was a sin to allow good material to go to waste”. This also highlights that 'old New Hampshire way of life' mentioned earlier. While a life of simplicity like Washington Woodward's is personally fulfilling; he told his story in pride over and over again before he died, but no one who listened seemed to care. I think that part of the essay shows the turning point where preferring his way of life is starting to die with him, hence tying together the essay with a full-circle ending.

TOW #12 - "A Man and His Cat"

I'll just come right out and say it...I only chose this essay because it had the word 'cat' in its title. (And yes I have accepted that my destiny is to become a crazy cat/horse/dog/every animal ever lady). However, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The author did a great job of weaving a humorous personal anecdote into the entirety of the piece. It was a longer essay compared to the past few essays I have read, but I had no attention-related problems when reading it because of how much I enjoyed it. The author writes about his cat whom with he lived for 19 years. One of my favorite lines was, "She appeared from underneath the porch, piteously mewling, and I gave her some cold white crab meat. I did not know then that feeding a stray cat is effectively adopting that cat." He had found the kitty as a stray while on a crabbing trip, and she became his companion for the rest of her life. Most of the essay revolves around how the author wrestles with the idea of being "that cat guy". He adores the cat, and she adores him, but she has a habit of preferring to be spoiled. She would only drink water from a glass, and her green eyes seemed to be outlined in "cat mascara". I found the author's such descriptive monologues about his cat to really emphasize his purpose and title. Tim Kreider wanted to subtly break the stigma attached to a man owning a cat being considered feminine, and I think he did a wonderful job. One of his reining overall arguments simply put it as man always needs companionship, and a cat provides that, so there is simply nothing wrong with a man owning and loving his cat. He also argues that loving a cat provides more than just companionship, and is actually beneficial to the psyche. I found this really interesting; he argued that loving a cat is much less complicated than loving a human being, because they cannot ruin our fantasies about them by speaking. Therefore, they receive the projections from their humans and provide an image of a perfect "insert desire here".

TOW #11 - Aftermath of Japan's 2011 earthquake

Yuriko Nakao / Reuters

I chose to analyze a visual text this week because I stumbled upon this photograph while wasting time on the internet, and I wanted to know more about it. After some brief research, I found out this was taken shortly after the earthquake/tsunami that hit Japan in early 2011. Because the disaster led to a nuclear meltdown, the girl behind the glass is one of the many Japanese citizens who had to be isolated for radiation screening. There are many aspects to this photo I find interesting. The first thing that caught my eye was the the dog's tail--it's sort of blurry, which means he was wagging it when the photo was captured; he was happy to see his human, even though he was unaware of her situation. I think this highlights what I consider to be the eighth wonder of the world: how animals, especially dogs, can love so unconditionally. Another aspect I noticed was the fog on the glass. The screening facilities erected in the cities of Japan were makeshift enclosures, meaning they probably weren't very big. The foggy glass means there were most likely a lot of people inside, showing the extent of the disaster. Lastly, I wanted to talk about the fact that the person on the side of the glass with the dog is dressed like they would any other day they would take him/her for a walk. Despite the catastrophe around them, they are still intent on nurturing their dog in this way. I find that to be bittersweet because if you think about it, they might not have a home to walk back to anymore, and going for a walk with their dog is the only mundane thing left for him/her.

TOW #10 - "The Brown Wasps"

This week I read "The Brown Wasps" by Loren Eiseley, and it is by far one of the most beautiful pieces of literature I have ever read. I did not have any preconceived ideas about this text, but I was also in no way expecting it to have such an impact on me. Eiseley's essay has an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. He takes the intricate descriptions of old, homeless men falling asleep at train stations, the last few wasps still living before the first snow, pigeons and a blind man flocking at an abandoned train station, a mouse going straight for the source of earth (a potted plant) once venturing inside, and his own memory of a tree planted sixty years ago and ties them together with the common theme that, "[we] are all out of touch but somehow permanent, [it is] the world that [has] changed" (Eiseley 245). Out of all these events that the author had strung together, I found his personal anecdote to have the most impact on me, which is saying a lot because all of the said events had a great emotional impact. Eiseley writes, "In sixty years the house and street had rotted out of my mind. But the tree, thee that no longer was, that had perished in its first season, bloomed on in my individual mind, unblemished as my father's words. "We'll plant a tree here, son, and we're not going to move any more. And when you're an old, old man you can sit under it and think how we planted it here, you and me, together" (Eiseley 245). To me, it seems like Eiseley has a hard time contemplating the fact that nothing is ever infinite. From his detailed descriptions that I mentioned earlier, he is obviously an observant person, and in the moment of observing a world so tangible, it makes it hard to understand that "it" won't be there forever. This ties back to how Eiseley concludes that the world is always changing; and unfortunate realization when he discovers his longest-standing childhood memory is a lie. Overall, Eiseley's sense of nostalgia is very effective in getting this purpose across, and it creates one of the most amazing essays I have ever laid eyes on.

TOW #9 - "Bop"

I read "Bop" by Langston Hughes this week, and I'm not going to lie; it was a pretty difficult text to analyze. The further you look into it, the more complex it becomes. The whole story centers around race and it showcases how different thing were in the 1950s. It first depicts two people sitting on a stoop listening to music emphasizing the word 'bop' as in the word often used in 'scatting'. The singer uses it over and over again, alternating in different variations like 're-bop' and 'be-bop', which catalyzes an argument between the two people. One asks, "What's the difference, between Re and Be?" where the other responds, "A lot, Re-Bop was an imitation like most of the white boys play. Be-Bop is the real thing like the colored boys play." This exchange starts the theme for the rest of the essay; how race was such a touchy subject during the time period. The second person in the quote explains how being a black man means receiving much different treatment just by walking through a white neighborhood. I found it really interesting how similar some of the incidences we see on the news today were found during the civil right's movement decades ago, and it really got me thinking: how much has really changed? Why does everything think we have 'come so far' in our nation-wide acceptance of people of color? To top it all off, Hughes ends with the one person saying "Your explanation depresses me," and the other saying, "Your nonsense depresses me," which I think is so crucial in showing his purpose. You cannot just push an important issue aside because it's a sad subject, or it's difficult to deal with.

IRB Intro #2

I chose to read Freakonomics for my second IRB for two main reasons: 1. I have a newfound interest in statistics/economics and 2. my AP Stat teacher has referenced this book a few times during class, so I figured I might as well read it. The book is about how changes in our economy can create crazy effects in the long run (think about that whole saying about killing a butterfly in the past).

TOW #8 - Flower Power

Photo taken by Bernie Boston on October 21, 1967

The context of this historical photograph takes place during a Vietnam War protest where National Guardsman arrived to "control" the crowds. A young protester started to put carnations in the barrels of the guards' rifles. I think it is most important to take into account the facial expressions of those pictured. The protester in the turtleneck has such a serious expression, suggesting how passionate he is about the cause he is protesting for. He is a beacon of peace in the violent situation. On the other hand, the guardsmen whose face is visible doesn't have such a supportive expression on his face. He has a sort of smirk as he removes the flowers from his rifle, showing that he and perhaps all the other National Guards had no intention of handling the protest situation peacefully. The facial expressions of the people in the photo, the fact that the faces of the other people cannot be seen, and the feeling of 'a moment frozen in time' in the picture are all clever appeals to pathos that were captured by the photographer. The stark color difference between the dark uniforms of the guards and the light-colored clothing of the protesters also offers an emotional feeling, since it highlights both the intentions of each party and the hateful distinction of "us and them". Overall, I think this visual text is very important and has a lot to say. Despite it being a simple black and white photo, it speaks so clearly and deeply about its cause.

TOW #7 - "How to Become an Adult"

To continue with the theme of my essay choice last week, I decided to read another college essay written by a student accepted to an Ivy League college. The reason for this is simply because I found the last one so intriguing. This week, I read a comical and sarcastic essay written by a student named Michaela. She wrote about what it means to her to become an adult. To her, parenthood is definitely an indication, but not just any kind of parenthood…plant parenthood. "Today, I am the proud parent of not one, but seven beautiful, boisterous, carnivorous plants.” The author uses the sarcastic tone evident in the quote throughout her essay to show how her first plant child, Stanley, opened the doors for her academic and (hopefully) professional career in botany. She realized that taking care of a simple houseplant is much more multi-faceted than one might think. I think the author sharing this realization of her’s with the world is important because it reminds readers to pay attention to the little things; they just might turn out to big, important things! I also thought that it was important the author used sarcasm and a comical tone because inspirational speeches (that aren’t given in speech form and have to be read) can come off as cheesy or won’t get their point across in the right manner. All in all, I was glad I chose to read this essay—it had a great message and a cute background story.

TOW #6 - "More Than Thick Eyebrows"

This essay is actually one written by an undergraduate (Caroline) accepted to Johns Hopkins University. She wrote about her Italian heritage, and how realizing that part of her has brought infinite opportunities for her to learn and expand her knowledge of both language and the world. At first, Caroline appeals to logos by talking about her family tree. She says, "It is the work of the generation that traveled from Istria in the north and Sicilia in the south, meeting through friends in Chicago, and encouraging their children to study hard and make a living for their future families." It seems odd that one would have to prove their heritage when talking about it, but I feel that Caroline saying this is important. It not only shows that she is in fact Italian, but how she is proud to call herself so due to the struggles her family members before her experienced to come to America. Most of the essay is focused on Caroline's deep need to learn the Italian language. Not only because it is a representation of her heritage, but also because in her own words, it feels so right to speak it. She says, "Rarely have I studied a topic that flows from my ears to my brain to my tongue as easily as the Italian language." In learning a new language, Caroline gets excited because she thinks of all the conversations she will get to have with her father and grandmother, all her favorite Italian songs she will be able to sing along to, and all her favorite Italian movies she will watch without the subtitles. I found that Caroline used a technique of focusing on her past (before she was born, to be exact) in Italian, how she is using it now, and how she plans to use it in the future, which really shows how much of an important part of her life it is.

TOW #5 - PSA for Drinking and Driving

I found this striking photo while scrolling through pages of other visual texts, and I don't think it's hard to believe when I say that I think this one is interesting. What made it catch my eye first and foremost, was the abnormality of it. The creator of the text documented a mundane thing made differently. As a way to speak out against drunk driving, I find that this photo is very effective. It uses facts/figures and appeals to pathos to achieve the goal of making a difference in people's minds about their future choices. The facts/figures aspect is used when stating that a drunk driver disables someone 'Every 48 Seconds', and obviously the text as a whole appeals to pathos because it really puts into perspective how drunk driving can destroy lives.

Aside from appealing to pathos, this text also appeals to logos because it forces its viewers to take a step back and really understand the devastating effects of drunk driving. Because so many people are becoming handicapped due to drunk driving-related accidents, the topic cannot (logically) be ignored. This is also very effective in helping the author of the text achieve their purpose of reducing drunk driving accidents because, again, it will make people think twice about their choices and hopefully reduce and/or diminish the number of drunk driving accidents that result in paralyzation there are. Even though the author of this visual text is unknown, I think they were successful in accomplishing their purpose of drawing attention to this matter. The photo really does make you stop and think for a second how big of problem drunk driving is as a whole.

TOW #4 - Animals in Translation

I am really enjoying reading Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin, and I’m happy to say that it is becoming one of my favorite books. Despite the rollercoaster of emotions that it holds, every so often I am left with a very hopeful feeling—that someday we will have the means of being able to communicate with animals without language. That is part of what I found to be most interesting in the story. Grandin’s main argument is that animals have a consciousness just like us. In other words, language is not a requirement for consciousness, so just because animals can’t speak doesn’t mean they can’t feel the same pain, fear, love, anger, friendship, etc. that we do.

Not only is this book expanding my horizons about the minds of animals, but it also did so for autism. Grandin applies her theory of “hyper-specificity” that comes along with certain cases of autism in teh form of pathos and ethos. What I found most interesting is that she both placed this disorder on a pedestal as a great talent for someone to possess, but also a great defecit. She uses this condition of autism to compare how they think to how animals think: with great attention to detail. This theory is also how she invented (a) her contraption called the “Squeeze Machine” or “Hug Machine” to help those with autism calm down during episodes of hyperactivity and (b) a way of direction cows through slaughterhouse yards to make their journey as least stressful as possible.

While I am still ‘iffy’ about how effective her idea for slaughterhouses is, I have faith because I’m pretty much all for the “hyper-specificity” theory. This would make it seem much more humane in my eyes. I can’t wait to finish the story! Temple Grandin is definitely one of the most interesting people I have discovered.

TOW #3 - "The Marginal World"

This sixty year old essay by Rachel Carson caught my eye as I was flipping through my copy of The Best American Essays of the Century. Since the title, The Marginal World, seemed like it had a philosophical tone, I decided it would be perfect for me to read. The first half of the essay is Carson talking about her experiences and love for how infinite the joining of the earth and the sea is. She said that for as long as there has been a sea and an Earth, there has been this connection.

I believe her audience is those who share the same love for the beach as she does. She sees the sea and the land coming together as a representation of how adaptable we are as a human race for being able to live in such an ever-changing environment. The theme of how this kind of connection in nature can be found in so many other elements of life is kept throughout the essay. Because of this, it is easy to see how Carson keeps a running metaphor as the main purpose of her essay (which is interestingly spelled out at the end rather than the beginning). She says, "there is a common thread that links these scenes and memories--the spectacle of life in all its varied manifestations as it has appeared, evolved, and sometimes died out" (Carson 219). I found her purpose to be very similar to the idea behind string theory, again pertaining to the philosophical tone.

Personally, I think Carson's essay has done a beautiful job of combining philosophy, science and nature into one description of the mundane thing that is a beach. She uses her great talent as a writer to highlight the beauties of such a thing that we might otherwise miss when put in this type of environment.

TOW #2 - "The day I left my son in the car"

When searching for a non-fiction essay to write about, I decided to look in a list of best essays of 2014, assuming I would find some good ones that way. I was right; I came across the #1 essay of 2014, called The day I left my son in the car by Kim Brooks. From the start I thought I would be reading about a helpless mother's horror story (something I wasn't very excited to read about), but I figured if it was ranked the #1 personal essay for that year, it must be pretty good.

Brooks is just a regular mom with two small children and not enough hours in the day. When the story of the essay took place, she had two hours to run to the store, wake up, dress and feed her daughter, and get her entire family to the airport, through security and onto a plane within two hours. (Believe me, reading that sentence stressed me out too.) Her sons headphones for the plane broke and he insisted on coming to the store with her to get new ones. Upon arriving, he refused to get out the car. Because the mother was so stretched for time she made the split-second decision to leave him in the car for 5 minutes. It was 50 degrees and overcast, so she didn't seem much harm in doing so. However, she couldn't have been more wrong.

Her husband was waiting for the family at baggage claim, and all he said to greet them was "Call you mother...". As it turns out, someone had called the police and reported the license plate because her son was left in the car, and Brooks ended up getting to cross 'being criminally charged' off of her bucket list.

Throughout the story, the author was using her credibility as a mother and the art of suspense to convey her purpose. She wanted to both educate her audience about the true consequences of leaving a child in a car unattended, as well as scare them into staying away from doing so. In my opinion, I think Brooks did so successfully because even though I have no children (and I don't really ever plan to) this essay instilled a sort of 'healthy dose' of paranoia in me so that I'll never do this.

IRB Intro #1

My first IRB was recommended to me. Ms. Pronko introduced me to the renowned author and inventor Temple Grandin. I was told that she had a form of high-functioning autism and used it to form a deep connection with animals. So far, I found out that she first discovered her love for and understanding of animals when she started riding horses as a young girl. I found her story of how she could feel the pain and fear of the previously abused animals really interesting.

Grandin has written many books, but because I have so much love for animals, I decided to read this one first. So far, I have found this work of hers to be a combination of breaking the stigma of autism through ethos. Because Grandin has autism herself and has dealt with it her whole life, she is able to give first-hand experiences to abolish the common thought that people who are autistic cannot be 'smart'.

Obviously this is wrong because of the great work she has done. She created not only an invention to calm herself down when her autism 'over-excites' her and starts a type of panic attack she used that same technology to help calm animals down on their way to slaughter. In that same field, she invented a new way to corral the animals through a sort of maze and keep them from becoming too stressed. I cannot wait to finish the book it has given me a new outlook on both autism and the way animals work.

TOW #1 - 9/11 as a Political Cartoon

The author of this visual text is political cartoonist Steve Breen. In this particular work of his he wanted to take a well-known topic like the tragedy of 9/11, and create a lesser known perspective about it that many people could relate to. His audience is most likely Americans who have slightly more extensive knowledge about 9/11 details, because otherwise they would not understand the focal point of the text. Breen created this image on the fourteenth anniversary of the event. He uses rhetorical devices such as pathos to convey his purpose for it.

The Statue of Liberty is such a well-known image in our country, and is certainly a mark in American history that will not be forgotten. Breen incorporates the three locations affected by terrorism on 9/11 into the torch of the statue to represent how the event is also a historical landmark that should not and cannot be forgotten. The stark contrast between the tragedy of 9/11 and the symbol of hope that the Statue of Liberty exemplifies the widespread shock that was felt on that day. 

Since Breen wanted to create such a different representation of 9/11, he needed to appeal to his audience's emotions so that the true meaning could really sink in. As a part of that audience, I think Breen was successful in achieving his purpose. I have never seen anything like this political cartoon in relation to 9/11 and it certainly gave me a new way to look at it.

"Putting Daddy On" by Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe's essay tells of a memory he recalled of himself accompanying his friend Parker to visit his dropout, misfit son, Ben. They venture into the Lower East Side of NYC to find him living like a hippie holed up in a crummy apartment filled with strange slang and other misfits. Sounds strange, but since Tom Wolfe is such an accredited writer (even admired by Kurt Vonnegut!) one can expect nothing but greatness from this essay.

Tom Wolfe, 2005
Photo taken by Henry Leutwyler

The story goes on to provide the immediate context showing that the setting takes place in 1964. This important year in the sixties explains why Wolfe described Parker as a "casualty of the information crisis" (280). Since he spent most of his growing-up time in the fifties, Parker was unable to adapt to the fast-changing nature of the sixties.

Wolfe's essay describes the ever-changing relationship between a father and son. It is obvious that Parker did not play the role of a father well when Ben was growing up, since he ended up a bum. Now, to try and reverse the damage he has done, Parker must 'put on' his sense of being a father to present himself with some sort of authority. 

The purpose of writing this essay was for the author to show the effect of a father who continuously tries to control his son and constantly be part of his life. The more Parker tried to change Ben's ways and act 'hip' around him, the more estranged Ben became. 

At the end of the essay, Parker says to Wolfe, "I threw out everything I had. I couldn't make anything skip across the pond. None of them. Not one" (287). This imagery really shows how unfortunate it was that Parker and Ben could never connect. I think that this quote could stand alone and still make it that Wolfe accomplished his purpose in showing the relationship.

"How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston

Hurston, 1938
Photo taken by Carl Van Vechten

This widely-praised essay by Zora Neale Hurston describes her struggle with her identity during the time when segregation was still present in America. She focuses on how discovering her own 'colored-ness' never led her to become ashamed of herself. Despite the discrimination she faced after leaving her exclusively black hometown, she found that it never angered her--she was too busy "sharpening her oyster knife" (115).

Being that Hurston's essay was featured in The Best American Essays of the Century makes is simple to see that she was a gifted writer. How It Feels to Be Colored Me challenged the mindsets of Americans when it was first written, and continues to do so today. However, her legacy as an author is not confined to this one piece. She has written four novels and over fifty short stories and essays. Written in 1928, this particular essay takes place in the deep south of Florida. Hurston recalls experiences from when she was thirteen years old, around 1904.

Hurston's purpose in writing this essay was to provoke the common thought that our race is what primarily defines us. In discovering this I also found that her intended audience is Americans with some prior knowledge of segregation throughout history.

I found that Hurston's method of accomplishing her purpose was by all means effective. The thing that stood out to me the most in Hurston's attempt to achieve her purpose was the analogy she used towards the end of the essay. She compares herself to a brown bag filled with random items, and others as different colored paper bags containing other random things. Hurston uses this analogy to say how our exterior 'color' does no predetermine what our interior holds, and that the "Great Stuffer of Bags" (117), or perhaps God, intended us to be this way.

"They All Just Went Away" by Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates defines what a home really is when she recalls an unforgettable experience from her childhood. She enjoyed exploring abandoned houses and one of those houses near her own belonged to the Wiedel's. Mr. Wiedel was an alcoholic who beat his wife and children, sexually abused his daughters, shot the family dog, Slossie and allegedly attempted to burn the house down while his family slept. As Oates remembers more and more of the Wiedel's story, she learns what makes a house a home and what gives something value.

Joyce Carol Oates
Photo taken by Marion Ettlinger

The essay takes place when Oates is still a child up until her first few years of high school in Millersport, New York. Her purpose in writing the essay is to show how a house can fail to be a home even when there are people inhabiting, and so starts the story of the Wiedels. She tells the story for an audience that either shares her same love for adventure, or is intrigued by tragedy. I relate to both, which is why I enjoyed the essay so much (despite the depressing tone). 

Oates uses intricate metaphors and imagery to describe the misfortune of the Wiedels. "For so many years the Wiedel house remained standing. There was something defiant about it, like someone who has been mortally wounded but will not die" (560). It was because of her adventurous spirit that Oates was able to discover this. Sometimes the most awful of events that grace the progression of time can produce the strongest results. The house, the Wiedel children who eventually went on to be admired, and the stories that will serve as a lesson to others.