| Final Reflection |
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09:55pm 12/12/2007 |
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This semester has been quite an experience. This was my first official semester to be back enrolled into NAU, after several months of attending community college. The large class sizes and growing work load were a giant deterrent at first, but I feel that I have really established myself as an active student in Flagstaff. Being overwhelmed is always a part of the beginning process, so I knew that it was just a matter of time before I elevated myself to a comfortable status. Along with all the social connections that I made this semester, the majority of my classes were fun and informative. Looking back, I would have to say that my second favorite class was English 105. No, I’m not saying this to suck up or try to receive a better grade. I honestly believed that I garnered a large notebook full of knowledge and had fun in the process. The class did such a large amount of work in such a short amount of time, and we all have success stories to show for it. With each paper that has been assigned, my grade has continually gone up and my spelling and grammatical errors have sunk lower and lower. Even though there was a lot of writing to be done, each paper’s topic was different enough that the research never became boring or monotonous. I think that English 105 is a great standard course to start off with because of the complete range of topics and the freedom it provides you with to really find yourself as a writer. Throughout high school, writing freedom is limited and there are only so many routes you can go in essay before losing total points. One of the perks of university writing is the independence the author receives and the room for expansion that is generally permitted. Being able to sincerely our opinions through essay, power point, and group projects was a privilege that I was not used to before the start of the semester. I also extremely enjoyed the possibility of extra credit and greatly appreciated the ability to make up for previous absences. I began the year with a slow start and it took me a little while to get my feet on the ground. With the opportunity to engage in make-up work was an excellent method for me to use to my advantage and further my acceleration in the remaining months of the course. I must say, however, that my favorite part of the semester has been the Live Journal assignments. I was never familiar with the website before it was assigned, so I had no idea what I was getting into. I tend to often be behind the times when it comes to modern day electronics, and the idea of using the internet for regular assignments scared me off a bit. I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. Live Journal turned out to be a fast and easy way to hand in assignments, with the possibility of adding a little personal flair to your homepage and profile. I honestly believe that I will continue using this internet outlet long after the semester ends and definitely over the break when boredom sets in. To wrap it up, when all is said and done, these past few months turned out to be fantastic and English 105 was certainly a plus. Thanks again Cynthia for all the help and for putting up with our shenanigans all year long. Happy Holidays!  |
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| 30 Days |
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11:39pm 25/11/2007 |
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1. What's the argument?
Can an individual, and /or family, survive on the minimum wage in America?
2. Rhetorical Appeals? Which worked?
I found that this show highlighted all three rhetorical appeals quite well. The strongest appeal featured in the segment was the use of pathos. The show's dialogue and directorial direction helped to connect the audience with Morgan and his wife's struggle in each featured moment. The personal confessions that Morgan gave at the end of each day also gave the viewer a chance to truly understand the pain and hardship he faced throughout the day, and the same experiences he was bound to face tomorrow. The rhetorical appeal of logos was also displayed well throughout the show, due to the constant reminders of logical decision making and character behavior. "30 Days" showed how two individuals were working extremely hard and trying to live, logically, within their means one day at a time. The last rhetorical persuasion that was demonstrated in the show was the ethos appeal. This show was definitely a slap in the face to major corporations, which tend to pay their employees low wages with little amounts of compensation. The show's host and creator, Morgan Spurlock, is also a prime example of the ethos appeal in action, due to the fact that he has credible experience as a man caught in unfortunate situations.
3. What failed?
In my opinion this show was extremely successful in displaying life on the working class scale and how it affects individual’s lives. I don't believe that it crumbled or failed in any respect.
4. Is Spurlock commenting on/criticizing American society, culture, government, etc? How?
I believe that Spurlock is educating American society more so than criticizing it. If anything Spurlock is informing the American people on what is existing in the "wealthiest country in the world". This segment acts as a wake up piece to all those who neglect the fact that there is a large working poor community that exists within this country. If the audience has learned anything from Spurlock's segment, it’s that both society and the government are far too uncompassionate and that there is a large amount of understanding to gain.
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| Visual Rhetoric |
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11:27pm 18/11/2007 |
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 The text in the lower righ-hand corner says: "Reading Humo can have serious consequences" This is an ad for HUMO magazine, a Belgian monthly publication, which is targeted towards men and women in their early twenties to late thirties. It primarily covers entertainment gossip in the film, television, and music industry. Clearly no doctor would have a magazine open and read during surgery, but Humo uses cleverly advertisement by insinuating that their articles are too good to put down, even while on duty. As you can see in the ad, the scalpel is directly over the patient’s nose and all surrounding doctors are allowing the magazine to take priority over the surgery. Although the woman could perhaps be receiving nasal surgery, the odds are unlikely, as the ad demonstrates complete lack of order or proficiency. I am not completely certain as to whether the patient is portrayed wearing simply a red top, or if the ad is suggesting that the patient is covered in blood. By depicting the woman immersed in blood, Humo is going an extra step further in demonstrating that no matter the extent of pain the patient is in, the doctors will not allow it to cut into their reading time.
This article strongly appeals to pathos, in which emotion takes control and leads you down an unpredictable path. As a viewer you are immediately shocked to see that doctors would neglect their professional duties and instead read a magazine. You also can't help but to laugh a second later due to the fact that it is so far-fetched. No one could actually imagine a doctor multi-tasking between profession and leisure during a surgery, so it gives the audience something to snicker and smile about. I think the oddest rhetorical appeal found in the ad is that of ethos. Humo depicts people of a very high and notable profession, engaging in an activity which most would consider neglectful and unintelligent. This ad appeals to the authority in which doctors commonly find themselves classified, and hits a funny nerve (no pun intended) on the topic of surgery, which is commonly left out of the comedic forefront. |
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| TOP 10 |
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12:46am 13/11/2007 |
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My Top 10 Albums of All Time:
1. The Beatles - Revolver
The Fab Four at their best. I would consider the ultimate breakthrough album, which encapsulates all elements of rock 'n' roll music. A great piece of music that established the standard for which all popular music is based on.
2. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
The album the carried me through high school. The first band that I was able to use the word "love" when describing. It sounds just as pure, melodic, and cutting edge as when I pressed play for the first time on my boom box.
3. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
I consider most all of Dylan's work to brilliant, nut this album has always stood out as his true gem to me. It's a much more concentrated piece than any other album he's released, with a limited amount of backing vocals and instrumental assistance. It stands as one of the most honest pieces of music ever released, and presents Dylan at his most vulnerable and descriptive to date.
4. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
When critics hail "Kind of Blue" as one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, they are definitely correct. I heard this album for the first time less than two years ago, but it quickly became one of my favorites. With Davis and his band
exploring new elements of jazz through radical harmony and modal sketches, "Blue" is a definitive piece of music and a classic for any occasion.
5. Beck - Sea Change
By far Beck's most introspective and audio-enduring album to date. Unlike most of his other work, "Sea Change" is a fairly somber piece of work that deals with the breakup pf his girlfriend of nine years. Since the album is about the dissolution of a relationship, the majority of songs deal with issues of depression, loneliness, and a fear of intimacy. We all experience these feelings, especially as teenagers, which is why I feel this album can relate top everyone and spread a message of awareness.
6. Sex Pistols - Nevermind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols!
In my opinion, the first and ultimate punk rock album in existence. Screaming from the pubs and factories of working class England, the Sex Pistols had a message to spread and let the world know it. I first fell in love with this album the summer before high school and it changed my perspective on what was good and decent in the world of music. For the longest time I had just considered loud guitars and screaming to be nonsense, and the Pistols changed that. That album taught me the importance that emotion and rage play in making a classic record.
7. The Smiths – Singles The Smiths kind of hit me like a lightning bolt the summer before I arrived at college. For the past year I had been listening to two or three artists constantly, slightly afraid to expand my music taste beyond what I already knew. I had always been hesitant to really immerse myself in any music that was configured in the 80’s, mostly due to the lack of substance and laughter from my peers. Towards the end of June I received a copy of “Louder than Bombs” from one of my co-workers who mad me promise that I would give it a full listen. Hesitant, but a man of my word, I spent the evening listening to all 24 tracks that the album had to offer. I was in love. The Smiths possessed the teenage angst mixed with lonely infatuation that I had been looking for almost all my life. Morrissey became a personal hero and savior of mine from that day on.
8. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
I was first introduced to this album by my cousin who was experiencing a strong gangster rap phase. At the time I was a huge West side supporter and immediately refused to lend my ear to a New York rapper. I'm glad that my cousin talked some sense into me and convinced me to listen to "Ready to Die". Wallace became an urban Dylan to me. A musician with a non-stop repertoire of stories and wit.
9. Neil Young - Harvest
The ultimate folk rock record. I always throw on "Harvest" for any long road trip in the car or evening spent alone in the room. It's a great album to listen to when your just gazing off trying to get perspective on whatever it is you are currently contemplating. It gives off a real strong feeling of peace and content. I definitely recommend listening to this one all the way through and notice the simplicity and ease in which Young expresses his diary.
10. Incubus - Morning View
I recently just formed an interest in Incubus and discovered Morning View only about a month ago. It sounds goofy, but the main attraction which drew me to the album was the cover. I had always recognized Incubus as a hard rock band, but found the album cover extremely soothing. After listening to the album, I found it to be wonderfully mellow and conceptual. It feels as though each track number was chosen for a certain reason and the album contains chapters of several different moods and emotions. |
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