English 101 Blog

This week, we explored the documentary The Scale of Hope, which introduced a compelling narrative that highlights the urgency of climate action and the importance of using effective rhetoric to inspire change. Through the lens of epideictic rhetoric, the documentary reveals the characteristics of commemorative discourse, inviting the audience to reflect on the persistence and optimism of individuals such Molly Kawahata, an advocate for climate action. 

An aspect of epideictic rhetoric in The Scale of Hope is its ability to praise individuals’ efforts and achievements. Molly’s commitments to making a difference despite the numerous challenges serves as a testament of addressing pressing global issues. 

As a climate advisor during President Barack Obama’s second term, Kawahata explored human psychology to shape climate communication, emphasizing urgency. She also used techniques within her current focus to figure out how she leverages psychology neuroscience to get everyday people to be on board with climate because “it hasn’t been both inclusive or welcoming.”

Another aspect of epideictic rhetoric that I observed is Molly’s personal journey with Bipolar 2 Disorder. By sharing her personal experience with mental illness, she adds to her narrative of perseverance. She does not allow her own challenges to overcome her aspirations and goals to find moderation.

Comparing Words like Loaded Pistols to The Scale of Hope, both demonstrate their understanding and characteristics of rhetoric to shape their narratives and influence perception. They both use the refinement of style, “Concentrating not on immediate advantage but on perfection of style – work that was not only useful but beautiful, that “while best displaying the ability of those who speak, brings profit to those who hear”” (Leith 85) (online version of book). This connects to Scale of Hope because the details of Molly’s journey reveals her story as one of inspiration for others that is beyond simply appreciating her accomplishments. I would say in contrast, Leith uses the power of speech to sway opinions while Molly underscores the impact of words on individuals understanding and experience.

I am not entirely sure what approach or set topic, but I would similarly strive to incorporate elements of epideictic rhetoric to inspire and mobilize viewers into my final project. A different approach that I would take is to prioritize inclusivity and diversity in my storytelling, ensuring that a wide range of perspectives and voices are represented to show deeper empathy and understanding among viewers.

The Ticking is The Bomb and Standard Operating Procedure offer distinct approaches and styles to represent Abu Ghraib. SOP adopts a testimonial model, while TTITB provides an advocacy model. Both aim to inform and persuade. I believe both assist with enhancing the knowledge of one another by providing an understanding of what took place, however, Ticking is The Bomb takes a more persuasive approach by showcasing all aspects of the prison, offering diverse perspectives beyond the ones shown in SOP. 

In the film, Morris seems to focus more on the experiences of the military police. His persuasive techniques were exposed with photographs that were captured by the U.S military police at the Abu Ghraib prison while overlaying the voices of the military. The photographs provide the viewers to see what actually happened, but the voices try to create a lens in where they allow one perspective to try and connect with the audience, which add bias focusing on the reliance of the military police. 

In the book, Flynn provides the use of parallelism that adds depth to the narrative by revealing certain perspective of the prisoners combining with elements of torture within Flynns own personal life. I personally believe that intertwining these two could be a complicated read to some readers because combining these is almost as if he is comparing his life with the experiences of the prisoners, but analyzing Flynn’s participatory mode can provide a comprehensive understanding with his personal insights.

In Flynn’s The Ticking is the Bomb, he combines personal experiences with broader subjects. There is a navigation of the complexities of his narrative maze with individual disorientation through the use of rhetorical language.Flynn’s involvement with the idea of losing one’s way, a universal fact he asserts, challenges readers to reflect on their own journeys through life’s metaphorical dark forests. He highlights one’s responsibility while presenting challenges in life as self-created and outside factors.

His encounter with Sam Harris, an advocate for torture adds to the language’s power. Flynn mentions the difficult issues surrounding the human rights organization’s backing of Harris. Flynn’s reflections are inspired by this tragedy, which makes him compre his difficult family background to it and wonders if society accepts certain viewpoints. Flynn’s parents have been highlighted with their struggles and their impact on his life. The imagery of his mother leaving with an open can of Schmitz speaks to issues of broken families and financial hardships, letting the readers understand the difficulties of his childhood. 

As mentioned, Flynn skillfully connects personal experiences with broader subjects, for example, the Abu Ghraib incident, as he negotiates the difficulties of interpersonal connections. His story gains complexity from the way he contrasts events from society with his own hardships. I noticed a lot of imagery used when reading the first part of the novel, especially when describing the Abu Ghraib photos. Words like “prisoners, guards, dogs hallways, cinderblocks, cages, leashes, smiles” assist Flynn depict this situation.

The passage relating to the Devil’s Mountain as a metaphor symbolizes the hardships encountered, reminiscent of the debris on Teufelsberg. The mountain is not only connected to the war, but Flynn’s struggles and challenges too. The use of the metaphor “clock ticking” to reference the approaching fatherhood increases a sense of urgency and highlights his own conflict.

In order to examine the subjective nature of memory and storytelling, Flynn uses metaphors such as “photographs as a type of dream” to discuss the boundaries between reality and perception.

I want to further explore the concept of getting lost with personal narratives and individual experiences.

Central Park Five is emphasized by the concepts of rhetorical appeals. Chapters 2 and 3 introduce more of ethos, influencing the plot and letting the audience know the information in a reasonable appearance of truth.

The primary focus of Central Park Five’s second chapter moved to the young boys who were being questioned in the Community Affairs office in order to provide statements regarding what had happened. The adults were pulled out of the room to speak with different detectives, and as time went on, the interrogation only grew more hostile and frightening. Although the boys each gave different perspectives to the story, they all continued to identify themselves as witnesses to the time, which is what the detectives wanted. The detectives beliefs affected how they questioned the boys causing them to confess under tactics. “The goal of any interrogation, by definition, is to elicit a confession from a guilty party, not to investigate the truth of a denial” (Burns 38) This statement suggests that interrogations are often to assume guilt and prioritize getting a confession over seeking for the truth. It’s worrisome because of the existing beliefs rather than conducting a fair investigation. Many of the boys confessed because they wanted to go home sooner, including Kevin, who after three hours of saying the policeman who had tackled him had left a scratch on his face, he had given a statement claiming that he had not participated in the act, but had instead placed himself in the scene and claimed to be trying to help her before getting scratched. Kevin was unaware that, “The law doesn’t require someone to have committed a rape to be convicted in it, only to be “acting in concert” with those who did it” (Burns 41)

After the constant interrogation and getting the young boys to sign to the crime that happened, chapters 3 and 4 focused on the media’s perception as identifying them as the guilty of the crime and how lies/preconceptions drove the public’s belief that the boys were guilty, reflecting the power of police sources to shape public opinion. “Their instant judgement of the case, based upon the police sources, helped to steer public opinion, and almost everything printed and said in the mainstream media encouraged the public to assume their guilt” (Burn 69). The imagery within chapter 3 was heavy influencing pathos. The terms used to describe the young boys were awful. One of the references that appeared from the media to describe the boys who were accused was “wolfpack”. “It linked to the boys not to just an animal but to one feared and seen by dangerous, violent, and predatory.” (Burns 70) Pages 74-79 describe graphic lynchings highlighting the brutality that black males endured.

Sara Burns did well at laying out the evidence, then making official claims to sum it up at the end of each chapter. By the end of chapter 3, Burns says that this had everything to do with race. “Race not only inspired the extreme reactions to the crime; it also made it easier for many to believe that these five teenaged boys have committed the crime in the first place, and no one was suggesting that they might, in fact, be innocent” (Burns 90)

There is a lot to unpack within these four chapters. One of the main factors that I want to focus more into is the media’s perception. The media contributed to constructing a narrative that portrayed the boys as guilty despite their innocence, how does the media engage in forms of rhetoric to depict a group as violent and harmful?

Readers are introduced to the City of New York in Central Park Five during the late 1980s, a time when minorities, especially Black and Latino people, were at risk of becoming victims themselves and were presented as criminals. There are many important concepts covered in this book, but over the course of these two weeks, our class has discussed the topic of invention and arrangement, which deals with identifying the main arguments that will persuade the audience to adopt a certain point of view. Invention and arrangement terms within “Central Park Five” are the use of the persuasive appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. The keywords within the book are voices of documentary: narrative.

We are able to connect the appeal of ethos and the voice of the documentary narrative because ethos is credibility and authority. The author reveals credibility because the narrative is told through the author’s research, building detail on the factual events that took place, “During the summer of 2003, before my last year of college, I worked as a researcher for civil rights lawyers involved in a civil suit on behalf of Antron, Kevin, Yusef, and Raymond.” (Burns x • Preface)

The use of pathos within this book is heavy. Sara Burns begins describing the boys giving them an identity while being at different stages in their life, coming from different backgrounds, struggles, etc. Being wrongful accused of a crime, mainly because of their race, “the fear and suspicion of blacks as criminals was so powerful that newly inaugurated president had taken advantage of it in order to get elected” (Burns 13). The use of language and tone also contributes to pathos. Portrayal of these boys and the fear within the community plays an important role. The author makes use of the word “wilding” as she said the night of April 19, 1989 was known as that term (pg 21). I believe this term was used in a format to be harming, to strike the racial fears of black and Hispanics, as if was expected for these teenagers to be violent.

Logos were shown through providing statistics and study proofs. For example, they mention a study within the 1980s found that Harlem had the highest mortality rate of any area in the city, and the double rate for white throughout the country. Burns’ goal in applying logos is to support and understand the use of pathos and ethos. It also aids the pervasiveness of reasoning and facts.

With this closer reading, it allowed me to grasp a deeper perspective of the dynamics within public opinions, which I want to continue exploring throughout the book for my further reading. I wonder Sara Burns’ process of executing the misconceptions within the media to building detail of the actual portrayal of these individuals. For my first project, I want to continue making use of the persuasive appeals.

Proposal: Exploring AI (ChatGPT)

Revised/Updated Abstract: I still have the aim to answer the initial question in my final project: Can AI, such as ChatGPT, be considered a form of literacy? After much exploration with ChatGPT, I have found many advantages and disadvantages (more so disadvantages). In my further work on this final project, I will add more depth to the focus of digital literacy and the impact of AI on our knowledge and creativity.

Mentor: I choose to continue using Nicholas Carr’s article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid? What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” as my writing mentor. I think his article is the most useful alignment with my final project argument, as he can highlight the impact of digital media. His approach to technology and its effects will further assist and guide me in constructing a well-written argument on the literacy aspect of AI.

Rhetorical: Element to Develop: I want to develop my writing using credibility. I want to use my writing mentors to support my argument, as well as research credible sources and expert opinions on the impacts/effects and why AI shouldn’t be considered a form of literacy, in order to strengthen my essay.

Grammatical: I did not write my essay in the vocabulary I would’ve wanted to use, so strengthening the use of vocabulary is something I would want to improve on during this final project, especially toward my introduction and conclusion.

In Nicholas Carr’s article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid? What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains” he discusses significant concerns about the impact of the Internet, particularly Google, on our abilities and reading habits. Carr worries that the way of accessing information online is transforming the way we think and read, valuing speed and efficiency over deep comprehension. He shares his personal experiences and provides examples of friends who also struggle to focus on longer texts due to online distractions. Carr’s concerns are introduced from the idea that digital content is changing our ability to engage in deep reading. He believes that technology changes how we think and retains information giving us our own ideas.

Digital content such as Adam Kenney’s “The Museum” is a hyper-mediated literature that presents itself to offer an alternative approach to storytelling by allowing the readers to explore a virtual museum with each link leading to different pathways. For example, the lobby page of “The Museum” shows readers a map. Every location comes with its own description.  Being given something that can be read in different ways is something that I have never been given before, so I read and understood it in a different way than everyone else. In some way “The Museum” counters Carr’s argument since it gives readers the opportunity to move at their desired pace and allows them to deepen their comprehension skills, but moreover, I agree with Carr. When he cites design director, Tom Bodkin, he explains that “shortcuts” would give readers a quick “taste” to spare them from “less efficient” method of actually turning pages and reading an article. Old media have little choice but to play by the new media rules.

After reading Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” novel, I believe the use of the themes of loss and rejection plays well in unfolding the story. Victor Frankenstein experiences repetition of loss throughout the novel. He continuously blames the creature for the deaths that have occurred, but I believe this is his way of avoiding taking responsibility for his own actions. The creature’s human interactions turned to rejection causing a sense of loneliness and abandonment. In my last blog post, I left off by focusing on what roles the creature and Victor Frankenstein play in this novel. It is fairly easy to interpret the creature as monstrous or evil because of his appearance and his violent acts, however, in volume two, the creature’s perspective shows how he can possess real emotions related to humanity. Shelly’s ability to create empathy for the creature made a deeper impression of how the creature is misunderstood and led me to develop the thoughts of Victor being the real monster.

Volume two sets the tone for the creature’s perspective of his journey longing for acceptance as we come across Victor and the creature’s first confrontation. The creature pleads for Victor’s understanding, compassion, and female companion to reduce his loneliness. Victor is filled with hatred for the creature in which he tries to destroy him.

As the creature encounters the De Lacey family, it offers him hope. This allows him to observe more about human life. The creature previously stole some of their food during the night for his own consumption until he learned that his actions caused them pain and more deprivation because they live in poverty, so he stopped stealing from them and began to forage for berries, nuts, and roots. “This trait of kindness moved me sensibly. I had been accustomed, during theca night, to steal a part of their store for my own consumption, but when I found that in doing this, I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood.” This passage highlights the creature’s capacity for empathy, kindness, and understanding of the consequences of his actions on others. The creature has a desire to minimize their suffering even at his own expense.

The arrival of a “sweet Arabian” named Safie was a surprise to the De Lacey family. Felix is overjoyed by her presence. Despite the happiness she brings to the family, it becomes clear that she does not share the common language of the family. She begins to attempt to learn the family’s language in which the creature, who has been observing their interactions from afar, becomes interested in acquiring language skills as well. He is eager to understand and communicate with his “protectors” better. This shows how much he wants to be accepted by the family.

All his observations through learning helps the creature gain insights into human society but cause him to question his own identity in society. The creature struggles with its horrifying appearance and fears how the De Lacey family will receive him. The creature approaches Mr. De Lacey when he is alone in hopes of gaining his sympathy. The creature engages in conversation with Mr. De Lacey. He shows kindness and compassion, offering the creature assistance, but soon enough, despite the creature’s hopes, it ends in despair. When Felix, Safie, and Agatha return home, Felix’s violent reaction to the creature’s appearance crushes his last hopes of acceptance. The rejection propels the creature down a dark path, continuing the series of tragic events. The creature has proven he can express emotion and even go to lengths of acts of service, but appearances rather than character influence perceptions of others.

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” explores many themes involving moral responsibility and ambition. The narrative begins with a series of letters from Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret Saville, detailing his journey to the North Pole. These letters serve as an entry point into the novel, particularly the fourth letter, where Walton’s ship becomes stuck in ice, leading to his encounter with Victor Frankenstein.

The structure of this novel offers readers a glimpse into Walton’s journey and sets a thematic parallel (ambition) with the main narrative of Victor Frankenstein.

As the narrative transitions to Victor Frankenstein’s story, we learn that he is a scientist consumed by intellectual curiosity and becomes obsessed with scientific studies, particularly the creation of life. Victor’s ambition to eliminate death and renew life leads him to succeed in bringing a creature to life, marking a central moment in the novel.

The novel unfolds when the initial excitement of his dream disappears, Victor rejects the creature. “Begone! I do break my promise; never again will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness.” This part made me think of his creation as a form of selfish ambition due to his actions. Victor’s failure to take responsibility and provide guidance for his creation highlights that he prioritizes his feelings over the existence that he brought to life. The absence of qualities that define humanity, empathy, and remorse emphasizes Victor’s monstrous qualities. Victor’s lack of responsibility leads to the terrible event of wrongful conviction and execution of Justine.

After a few reads, it made me think deeper into what role Frankenstein and the creature played in this novel: moral responsibility and ambition tie together for the consequences of playing with life and death. “Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.”

Touching base with chapter two of “The Gutenberg Elegies” By Sven Birkerts, the author dives deeper into his personal experiences and connections. He recounts from his early childhood that he was captivated by books for the simple fact of the experiences he got from the books themselves and from the characters whose lives could absorb his own for a few hours. As much as he loved reading, it did not come without judgement from his father, who viewed reading as feminine. This did not stop Birkerts from reading, but he began “cultivating a hidden reading life”.

“While surrounded by my books and papers I lived with a certain vision of myself – as a reader, a thinker, an introvert” (Birkerts 53) When reading this chapter, this line struck me for various reasons. It brought me back to recall that Birkerts struggles as a reader and a writer due to his anti-social view of reading. He believes that the experience of reading should be viewed as private. He expresses his fear of technology causing reading to become social and it losing the significance of it being private.

In terms of Birkerts’s view of reading as an anti-social activity, I do not agree with him. Technology is beneficial in many ways including allowing us to share our writing on the internet, giving people access to add on their ideas and revisions. I believe that having no input from others when it comes to reading limits us from deepening our understanding of texts. It is important to share our insights with the world because we all interpret texts differently and it allows us to expand our minds to view different perspectives that we never thought about. Personally, when I discuss important pieces and evidence of texts with others, it helps me shape my thoughts to be stronger and helps me connect with my peers through reading.

People grasp and understand texts differently. Some may comprehend better through audiobooks and other reading apps, that is why I am curious of what Sven Birkerts would think of those resources.