Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a powerful speech that expressed the shock, anger, and fear the nation had after the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The nation, originally against involvement in World War II, took a different turn after the infamous “Attack on Pearl Harbor” incident. FDR utilizes anaphora and patriotic diction to address the issue at hand and declare war against the Japanese.
When describing the attacks that occurred the night earlier, Roosevelt uses a large amount of repetition to emphasize that it was not only our country that got attacked. He begins every sentence with “Last night, Japanese forces attacked,” followed by a location, such as Hong Kong or Wake Island. The anaphora is used to highlight the several attacks that the Japanese performed the night before. It seems as if he is listing the several different areas to emphasize how many other places were attacked along with Pearl Harbor. This allows for the audience to gain understanding that Japanese attacks are not a small issue: their attacks on other areas outside the United States are killing thousands of innocent civilians. Roosevelt takes this understanding from the civilians as a rationale to declare war against the Japanese and take involvement in World War II.
While many see the United States’ involvement in World War II a natural reaction to Pearl Harbor, there were certain measures to be taken and many factors to be considered before stepping into another world war that could potentially lead America down like the first one. Franklin D. Roosevelt appeals to both the frustrated audience that wishes revenge against the Japanese as well as the politicians that are fearful for America’s future if they choose to take entry in World War II through his speech, “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation.”
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Sunday, December 11, 2016
TOW #12 | Visual - EBOLA!
America is the country known to supersize everything--from drinks to people to even rumors. Most of the times, these “supersized” rumors and epidemics cause such a great deal in the United States that many begin to forget the abhorrent consequences to supersizing other things as well. The Sacramento Bee decides to address and bring awareness to this fact in their visual text, “EBOLA!” portraying the people’s ignorance to other health issues due to the prioritization of health concerns popularized by media.
The most prominent device the Sacramento Bee employs in their visual text is the utilization of words. “EBOLA!!!” is written in large font inside of a thinking bubble above the man’s head. By making the word “ebola” in a large font, the author is able to portray to their audience how important the man in the text considers the issue of ebola to be, so much that it trumps over all of the other problems he is encountering, such as obesity, smoking, and drinking. This creative use of wording continues throughout the text as the author writes “super” and “big” on the french fries to emphasize the large amounts of food that Americans consume and how that adds to one of the many overlooked health issues in the United States. The author also writes statistics in the empty spaces next to the man of the amount of deaths related to obesity, smoking, and drinking. Adding statistics to the cartoon allows the audience to understand how large-scale these health issues are and how many deaths they can cause, unlike media-popularized health epidemics like ebola.
Although the American public may not be aware, the next “big issue” will be taking over their nerves, brainwashing them to avoid a certain disease and once again steering their eyes away from the true issues that cause so many health-related deaths. The Sacramento Bee takes this issue and creates a unique cartoon that both highlights the overshadowed issue and criticizes the American public.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
TOW #11 | Written - Chief Seattle's "Oration of 1854"
The 1850s were a difficult time for most Native Americans. By that time, European immigrants had taken over the majority of the United States, knocking over the Native Americans’ natural culture and history for a more modernized one. In response to such catastrophes occurring, Chief Seattle raises his voice in his “Oration of 1854,” proclaiming that their natural reserves should be conserved. Through figurative language such as similes, Chief Seattle proposes a treaty in an effort to persuade Governor Stevens to conserve the Washington territory for the Native Americans.
In the midst of an analogy between weather and the current situation of the Native Americans, Chief Seattle describes that his “words are like the stars that never set” (1). Utilizing such an analogy places an emphasis on the fact that his words are unchanging, suggesting that the following proposition he is to make will not be swayed by differing opinions. This emphasis helps to portray to the audience, Governor Stevens, that he is firm in his stance and is not willing to budge. Stevens’s gained understanding that Chief Seattle is firm in his proposition shows Stevens that Chief Seattle is serious about the proposal, and is determined to pass the treaty. Furthermore, Chief Seattle appeals to his audience’s sense of guilt through similes, comparing the white men as “grass that covers the grass prairies” and the Native Americans as “scattering trees of a storm-swept plain” (2). Through the juxtaposition of a positive illustration of white men and a negative illustration of the Native Americans, Chief Seattle is highlighting that white men are plentiful and considered higher than the less populated, lower Native Americans. Holding him and his men at such a low level evokes a sense of guilt from the audience; Governor Stevens now most likely views the Native Americans as not well treated due to him and his white people. This guilt could result in swaying him into not buying more land and instead negotiating with Chief Seattle and make a treaty.
Although by this time period, Europeans have already dominated the majority of the United States, a select few people, like Chief Seattle, believed that more could be done to conserve Native American culture and territory. He expresses his determination through tear-jerking figurative language that sets both his purpose in stone and blossoms a flower of guilt in his audience. Will those blossoms, however, be enough to change the “grass prairies” of white men into meadows of Native Americans?
In the midst of an analogy between weather and the current situation of the Native Americans, Chief Seattle describes that his “words are like the stars that never set” (1). Utilizing such an analogy places an emphasis on the fact that his words are unchanging, suggesting that the following proposition he is to make will not be swayed by differing opinions. This emphasis helps to portray to the audience, Governor Stevens, that he is firm in his stance and is not willing to budge. Stevens’s gained understanding that Chief Seattle is firm in his proposition shows Stevens that Chief Seattle is serious about the proposal, and is determined to pass the treaty. Furthermore, Chief Seattle appeals to his audience’s sense of guilt through similes, comparing the white men as “grass that covers the grass prairies” and the Native Americans as “scattering trees of a storm-swept plain” (2). Through the juxtaposition of a positive illustration of white men and a negative illustration of the Native Americans, Chief Seattle is highlighting that white men are plentiful and considered higher than the less populated, lower Native Americans. Holding him and his men at such a low level evokes a sense of guilt from the audience; Governor Stevens now most likely views the Native Americans as not well treated due to him and his white people. This guilt could result in swaying him into not buying more land and instead negotiating with Chief Seattle and make a treaty.
Although by this time period, Europeans have already dominated the majority of the United States, a select few people, like Chief Seattle, believed that more could be done to conserve Native American culture and territory. He expresses his determination through tear-jerking figurative language that sets both his purpose in stone and blossoms a flower of guilt in his audience. Will those blossoms, however, be enough to change the “grass prairies” of white men into meadows of Native Americans?
Sunday, November 20, 2016
TOW #10 | Written - Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
One of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s most famous texts, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," was written during his time in prison after leading a non-violent civil rights riot in Birmingham, Alabama. He writes this letter to the clergymen in an attempt to bring awareness of how badly African-Americans at the time were being treated at that there needs to be change. Through references to expert testimony, Martin Luther King Jr. defines what a “just right” is to portray that the African-American community is not receiving the opportunities, facilities, and lifestyles that they deserve.
In order to concretely define between a just and unjust right, Martin Luther King Jr. references St. Thomas Aquinas, who defines an unjust right as, “a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.” St. Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher and theologian, helps the audience find credence in King’s argument. Unlike King, who is simply a pastor with no experience in philosophy, Aquinas is a philosopher, validating the statements that he makes about the definition of an unjust right. Not only does King reference one person--he goes on to reference two more men: Michael Buber, Jewish philosopher; and Paul Tillich, one of the most well-known philosophers and Lutheran theologians. Referencing two other philosophers, King establishes the fact that segregation is “a sin” and falls under the category of an “unjust” right. By allowing his audience to find credence in his claims, King is able to gain trust from the audience, building up his credibility throughout the text.
Although many other people at the time feared the government and clergymen, Martin Luther King Jr. stepped up and fought for his people’s rights by writing such a letter while contained in prison. He used references to expert testimony to establish his credibility as he protests for just rights for African-Americans.
In order to concretely define between a just and unjust right, Martin Luther King Jr. references St. Thomas Aquinas, who defines an unjust right as, “a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law.” St. Thomas Aquinas, a philosopher and theologian, helps the audience find credence in King’s argument. Unlike King, who is simply a pastor with no experience in philosophy, Aquinas is a philosopher, validating the statements that he makes about the definition of an unjust right. Not only does King reference one person--he goes on to reference two more men: Michael Buber, Jewish philosopher; and Paul Tillich, one of the most well-known philosophers and Lutheran theologians. Referencing two other philosophers, King establishes the fact that segregation is “a sin” and falls under the category of an “unjust” right. By allowing his audience to find credence in his claims, King is able to gain trust from the audience, building up his credibility throughout the text.
Although many other people at the time feared the government and clergymen, Martin Luther King Jr. stepped up and fought for his people’s rights by writing such a letter while contained in prison. He used references to expert testimony to establish his credibility as he protests for just rights for African-Americans.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
MP2 | IRB Intro - Sigmund Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents
Noted as one of Sigmund Freud's most famous and well-written books, Civilization and Its Discontents is a book Freud took upon writing one summer in 1929, where he explores the human life, connecting them to his theories, such as the Oedipus Complex. Through his use of juxtaposition of "civil" human life versus "savage" human life, Freud reveals the dirty but raw truth about human nature and society. While frequently displaying interest in Freud, I never had a chance to read any of his books or understand any of his theories to the fullest. By reading Civilization and Its Discontents, I hope to further inform as well as entertain myself about one of the most important psychoanalysts of our time.
Friday, November 11, 2016
TOW #9 | Written - Team of Vatican Geneticists Successfully Clone God
The Onion, a well-known satirical news source published an article titled, “Team of Vatican Geneticists Successfully Clone God.” Through maintaining a satirical tone throughout the article and using allusions to the Bible, the Onion effectively reveals the irony of the article in order to entertain the audience and mock the close-minded Catholic community.
The irony present in the article is very outright and straightforward. The title itself, “Team of Vatican Geneticists Successfully Clone God,” expresses irony in which Vatican people are very Catholic and conservative, and would never approve messing with “God’s power” by cloning. The act of cloning God is ironic as well for the same reasons. Because of this ridiculous irony of conservative, Catholic people going against their faith and cloning God, the being in which condemns acts such as cloning allows the audience to laugh at the ridiculousness of the irony. Throughout the article, the Onion manages to allude to the Bible in order to emphasize that the clone is being treated like God. They refer to the newborn clone of God as “He,” and claim that the newborn is able to “possesses complete omniscience, and even at this early age, we have observed Him beginning to transcend space and time” (8). These descriptions emphasize how the newborn clone is something of greater power and superior to humans. The way that the author describes and refers to the clone portrays an element of seriousness, a stark contrast to the satire present before. This added element of contrast and irony by referring to the clone in a holy, serious manner further entertains and pokes fun at the close-minded conservative Catholic community.
The irony throughout the text is portrayed through maintaining a satirical tone and adding allusions to the Bible in the article; By doing so, the Onion entertains the audience and mocks the close-minded Catholic community.
The irony present in the article is very outright and straightforward. The title itself, “Team of Vatican Geneticists Successfully Clone God,” expresses irony in which Vatican people are very Catholic and conservative, and would never approve messing with “God’s power” by cloning. The act of cloning God is ironic as well for the same reasons. Because of this ridiculous irony of conservative, Catholic people going against their faith and cloning God, the being in which condemns acts such as cloning allows the audience to laugh at the ridiculousness of the irony. Throughout the article, the Onion manages to allude to the Bible in order to emphasize that the clone is being treated like God. They refer to the newborn clone of God as “He,” and claim that the newborn is able to “possesses complete omniscience, and even at this early age, we have observed Him beginning to transcend space and time” (8). These descriptions emphasize how the newborn clone is something of greater power and superior to humans. The way that the author describes and refers to the clone portrays an element of seriousness, a stark contrast to the satire present before. This added element of contrast and irony by referring to the clone in a holy, serious manner further entertains and pokes fun at the close-minded conservative Catholic community.
The irony throughout the text is portrayed through maintaining a satirical tone and adding allusions to the Bible in the article; By doing so, the Onion entertains the audience and mocks the close-minded Catholic community.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
TOW #8 | IRB - Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers
As Malcolm Gladwell continues to connect stories of success with the common theme of “talent plus preparation,” he presents to the curious American public how much a combination of opportunity and origin can influence successes and failures that occur throughout the world. He utilizes statistics in one specific analysis, “The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes,” to portray how one’s upbringing in a specific geographic location can influence their capability to fly a plane.
Gladwell brings up one statistic--a list of countries that were ranked in terms of “uncertainty avoidance”--to portray how a country’s tolerance of ambiguity stems from their culture. Countries that were at the top of the uncertainty avoidance list, like Greece and Guatemala, have the commonality of conservative cultures, in which their people were taught to stick by the rules and not stray away from any set of rules, regardless of the circumstances. Other countries that were at the bottom of the list, like Denmark and Singapore, have cultures that are free to conform to situations and are not constricted by a specific set of rules. The people from the countries of the bottom of the list, as a result, were able to conform better to emergency situations (e.g. the fuel running low, the plane at risk of crashing), for they had no rules that they were trapped by, unlike the countries at the top of the list. Another similar statistic Gladwell adds presents a list of countries ranked in terms of the Power-Distance Index, or PDI. South Korea, a culture that emphasizes superiority of bosses and elders, ranked second in this list, proving that Koreans’ inability to equally distribute authority and “power” resulted in the high number of plane crashes that occurred in the early 2000s. These statistics thus helped Gladwell in his attempt to show the correlation between the culture of a specific geographic location and a person’s ability to fly a plane.
Gladwell brings up one statistic--a list of countries that were ranked in terms of “uncertainty avoidance”--to portray how a country’s tolerance of ambiguity stems from their culture. Countries that were at the top of the uncertainty avoidance list, like Greece and Guatemala, have the commonality of conservative cultures, in which their people were taught to stick by the rules and not stray away from any set of rules, regardless of the circumstances. Other countries that were at the bottom of the list, like Denmark and Singapore, have cultures that are free to conform to situations and are not constricted by a specific set of rules. The people from the countries of the bottom of the list, as a result, were able to conform better to emergency situations (e.g. the fuel running low, the plane at risk of crashing), for they had no rules that they were trapped by, unlike the countries at the top of the list. Another similar statistic Gladwell adds presents a list of countries ranked in terms of the Power-Distance Index, or PDI. South Korea, a culture that emphasizes superiority of bosses and elders, ranked second in this list, proving that Koreans’ inability to equally distribute authority and “power” resulted in the high number of plane crashes that occurred in the early 2000s. These statistics thus helped Gladwell in his attempt to show the correlation between the culture of a specific geographic location and a person’s ability to fly a plane.
Although one's culture or specific geographic location can seem so far away from one's ability to fly a plane, Gladwell manages to reveal the relationship between the two through the use of statistics. He therefore portrays to his audience the intriguing nature of how one's origins can influence their job choice.
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