The Inheritance of Tools Analysis

1. Sander's most engaging example of powerful diction is when his thumb swelled after getting the call about his father's death. This is symbolic and powerful because it physically affects his and unconsciously captivates the reader.
2. A) "My cobbled-together guitars might have been alien spaceships, my barns might have been models of Aztec temples"

B) " If you're going to cut a piece of wood, you owe it to the tree to cut to the tree to cut it straight."

3. The gerbil section to the conclusion shows the growth of him and his daughter as the time passes, each thought overlapping the other like a timeline. 

4. The gerbil section's significance is that he chose to save his daughter by toughening up in spite of hearing the tragic news about his father's death. 

5. The grand events are connected to his father's death. He cannot save everybody, not even his father, but is capable of saving his daughter. 

6. The author's descriptions of the tools' timelessness shows the familiarity with which they are used and passed down. 

7. The final sentence is effective because it links to earlier memories he'd mentioned of his father. 

E.B White Analysis

1. White's attitude in the opening paragraphs connotes a sense of wistful longing. He is trying to tell a  story in the form of a flashback. The simple imagery he uses also creates a childish feel.
2. White uses details in paragraphs 1-6 to show that everything has remained the same since the last time he visited the lake. The man feels as though time has not passed when he describes that "there had been no years between the ducking of this dragonfly and the other one--the one that was part of memory."
3.
A)"...the hills that the sun set behind"-personification; provided more vivid imagery for the reader.
B)"the years were a mirage and their were no years"-metaphor; shows the extent of the year's duplicity.
C)" I would be in the middle of some simple act, I would be picking up a bait box...or I would be saying something..."-parallelism; emphasizes the simplicity of his act
D) "This was the American family at play"-cultural allusion; compares the people in front of him to a typical American family.
4. "... the water felt thin and clear and unsubstantial"-appeals to the sense of touch; the precision with which he recalls this memory may support his claim that time had not really passed at all.
5. He uses polysyndeton to gradually build up excitement, then brings us back to present time by switching verb tenses.
6. The specificy of details give readers a glimpse into his outlook on the lake as an adult. It also foreshadows a dent in time because there are motorboats that didn't used to be there when he was a child( or were, gutless obviously)
7. Ending the sentence with "and" adds suspense that is open to interpretation.
8. The final image of the essay is bittersweet. Seeing his own son do the things he used to do as he struggles with health problems brings him back to reality by marking the end of a chapter.
9. The large amount of "and"s used in this story adds to the flashback effect, as if all his memories as quickly flashing by of him. It builds up suspense.

Hunger Memory Reading Response

Rodriguez is constantly exotified because of his ethnic origins. He finds it hard to assimilate into a culture that constantly seeks to exploit him , as demonstrated by having been suggested to become a model. Not only to his looks play a role in this difficulty, but also his language. He presents that American assimilation is measured by a person's conformity to one cultural identity and abandonment of all others. For example, he points out his Spanish-yet-English-pronunciated name and refers to his story as an "American story". The author compares his identity to that of a Shakespeare's character, Caliban, who transcends his limitations by stealing Prospero's language. In the same way, Rodriguez exceeds the limitations hurled upon him by his language and uses that as a platform to launch his message regarding the importance of education and its vitality in bridging the gap between two different cultures. His success as a writer and speaker also validates this message.

Politics and the English Language: Questions on Rhetoric and Style

Politics and the English Language: Questions on Rhetoric and Style

1. Orwell's thesis is both stated and implied. His thesis is that a cause and effect are closely linked. A bad cause can spiral into a bad effect.

2. Orwell's analogy of the cause and effect of alcohol abuse to the demise of language in paragraph two is effective because It shows a chain reaction, in which the person is drinking alcohol hopes to demolish their problems but actually ends up creating more. 4. In some types of writing, “particularly in art criticism and literary criticism,” you can find a long passage which is “almost completely lacking in meaning,” for they do not “point to any discoverable object.” They will use words that are opposite of each other or contradict each other, by using these they are being “consciously dishonest.”

3. Paragraph 5: “But in between these two classes there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors which have lost all evocative power.” compares metaphors to a dump; “dump” implies an disorganization. Orwell says that the metaphors are “worn-out”, or lack originality and effectiveness.

Paragraph 4: “phrases tacked together like the sections of a prefabricated henhouse.” ; compares phrases to sections of a prefabricated henhouse; effective because it creates a vivid picture and is comical. Building a henhouse does not require strenuous effort and the word "prefabricated" implies unoriginality.

Paragraph 12: “[T]he writer knows more or less what he wants to say, but an accumulation of stale phrases chokes him like tea leaves blocking a sink.” compares stale phrases to tea leaves; effective due to its originality and does a nice job of translating the writer's inability to effectively communicate because of his gaudy metaphors.

Simile: compares the choking to tea leaves blocking a sink.

Paragraph 15: “A mass of Latin words falls upon the facts like soft snow, blurring the outlines and covering up all the details." compares Latin words to soft snow;effective because it conveys that Latin words prevent the writer from delivering his message, effortlessly holding a negative connotation.

Paragraph 16: “[H]e... feels, presumably, that he has something new to say – and yet his words, like cavalry horses answering the bugle, group themselves automatically into the familiar dreary pattern.” Simile: compares words to cavalry horses; effective because both cavalry horses and words are powerful.

4) A newly invented metaphor assists thought by evoking a visual image, while on the other hand a metaphor which is technically "dead" has in effect reverted to being an ordinary word and can generally be used without loss of vividness. But in between these two classes there is a huge dump of worn out metaphors which have lost all evocative power and are merely used because they save people the trouble of inventing phrases for themselves. Many of these are used without knowledge of their meaning, and incompatible metaphors are frequently mixed, a sure sign that the writer is not interested in what he is saying. Some metaphors now current have been twisted out of their original meaning without those who use them even being aware of the fact.

It was difficult to understand what Orwell was trying to say without using examples. Without examples, these phrases are a jumble of words that I have to come up with my own visuals for in order to follow along and not die of boredom.

5. Orwell's footnote is used as citation of his evidence, or like background information. He chose to place it at the end because putting in his text would most likely distract the reader from the essay's main purpose

6. Orwell establishes credibility by using examples and metaphors. They help the reader understand the point he is trying to make and assert his knowledge on the subject, providing more credibility.

7. The organization of this essay is coherent with a lengthy gradual build. He begins by getting his point across then elaborates on how a writer can achieve certain objectives while simultaneously telling them what not to do.

8. Orwell’s purpose is to inform his readers about the “bad habits” of writing in politics and the effects of those bad habits. Through many examples he explains the power of language and how it is controlled by small things, like word diction and simplicity. The historical context of post – World War II is one such example, reminding us of Hitler's manipulative language that heavily contributed to his large following.

9. Orwell consistently uses an informative/formal tone in his essay. From explaining his beliefs into arguing for them, he maintains a professional voice in order to attain credibility and effectiveness.

10.

1) Never use the passive where you can use the active. Orwell does exactly that in the first sentence of his essay, "Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it."

There  is unnecessary wording that does not help deliver the content of this essay.

2)Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.    Orwell contradicts this by using not one but many metaphors and similes, including the "collapse of  civilization."

3)Never use a long word where a short one will do. Strangely, Orwell's entire essay is wordy, so

he could have used his own advice and cut some words out.

4)Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous; In paragraph 16, he says, "...and for certain you will find that I have again and again committed the very faults I am protesting."

Education the Emerson Way Questions

Questions for Discussions
1. Emerson's defining characteristics on his view of an ideal education include  guidance way of education, teachers that pay individual attention to students and inspire students to think for themselves by giving them encouragement for their thoughts.

3. Emerson believes that it is better to teach the child arithmetic and Latin grammar because certain things require accurate performance. Sometimes, the power of performance is more important than knowledge.

5. Emerson criticizes school as a bureaucratic institution because it is repetitive,uninspiring, and fail to encourage students to become so meting great.  Teachers are not the advocate of geniuses but are more like systematic tutors. It is more difficult to possess qualities like individuality and brilliance within such an organized structure.

Questions for Rhetoric and Style
1. Emerson  means that  nature loves similarities with slight variations, but not the same thing repetitively.

3.  Emerson's purpose in developing this long explanation is to explain the process of earning and what it means to be educated. He uses an example of his friend Sir Charles Fellow, who tells the reader of his own accomplishments and how he accomplished them.

5. The natural method Emerson refers to is the method of using your peers to learn from each other and have fun.

8.This is very ironic because Emerson had spent the entire essay talking about education reforms, yet he later states that they will probably not change anything.

9. He believes the guiding hand of a mother or a female will let the child growing his thinking because it is less harsh whereas the male's hand is generally more imposing.

10. Inflicting fear into children when they do something wrong is worse than letting them continue to do so.

11. Emerson shifts among pronouns to resonate and connect with the audience he is speaking to.

12. Emerson's exudes a tone of frustration. Throughout the essay, Emerson points out his discrepancy with the education system and explains what and why it should be changed.

Superman and Me- Exploring the Text

1) The following phrase, "“We lived on a combination of irregular paychecks,hope, fear and government surplus food” is a metaphor; It is used to describe the extent of unfavorable conditions  in which the author grew up in. 

2) Alexie's father played against stereotype. He did not live up to the low expectations his fellow Indians set for him, but chose to continue educating himself through books, even during a period of unemployment.

3)Alexie's analogy of a paragraph to a fence helped him make sense of people and places by categorizing them. It was one of the ways in which he applied reading to real life situations. 

4)Alexa often describes of his childhood in third person because he doesn't feel comfortable talking about his accomplishments given the background he came from. He did not fit in with people who expected little of him because he wanted more. It must still feel strange for him to come to terms with something his people don't accept. 

5) This 8th paragraph section is divided into two sections--one that describes the circumstances in which he grew up in and the other one about how he broke stereotypes that derived from those circumstances. It gave off a positive outlook--as if he was giving younger people like him hope. 

7)Alexa mentions twice that books saves lives. At first, he states that "they are trying to save their lives," then hints that he himself will be their savior if they listen to him with he statement,"I am trying to save our lives." I also came to that conclusion because prior to that, he had told the reader about never seeing a role model that encouraged Indians to read before, implying that he is that role model. His use of repetition, "I am...," in the last paragraph could convey a strong sense of self acceptance with who is instead of talking about himself in third person. He also uses that tone to encourage younger Indians to educate themselves. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read Q's on Rhetoric and Style

1) Prose establishes ethos with her credentials as an award winning critique, a mother of two sons, and her vast knowledge of books.

2) The author starts out with such strong language to incite engage her readers into the argument. Yes, she risks putting off readers who do not share her views, but also provides reasonable elaborations to back them up. She also used emotional language when critiquing Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and To Kill A Mockingbird,citing reasons why there are better alternatives to these school reading requirements.

3) Prose assumes that the role of reading is not to shove messages down students' throats, but also for them to experience written language as as a means of exploration and to relish in its long lasting impact for the rest of their lives.

4) The author appeals to logos with her detailed analysis and comparisons of the books she mentions.

5) The author definitely assumes the audience is somewhat familiar with the books she references. Her audience includes school teachers and the books she references is their reading curriculum, so if they don't know what she's talking about, who will? Besides, the audience only needs to understand the works in terms of how they support the author's argument, not the entire piece as a whole.

6) No, I don't agree with her analogy of Maya Angelou. She loses credibility by trashing on another author's writing style and directs the attention to the question of whether that style is legitimate rather than reinforce her proposed solutions. The analogy did not appeal to logos and failed to strengthen her argument. She also uses figurative language to compare English to fingerprints or DNA mapping or modern English classes to "test screenings used to position unreleased Hollywood films"

7)The author's purpose in piling one rhetorical question on top of another is to either deliver a point or address her own contradictions against the reading material distributed in class. 

8) Yes, she could have strengthened her argument by including interviews because it would have granted her more credibility to speak on behalf of the teachers and students.

9) According to Prose, American high school students are learning to loathe literature because:

1) Teachers tend to narrow the students' literary experience by personalizing topics of discussion.

2) The students are taught exactly how to feel about each character instead of identifying their more complex natures.

3) We provide students with literature that require lighter levels of thinking and feeling.

4) Teachers are too lazy to teach their students how to appreciate literature

5) We value writer's background more than the content of their writing.

6)Teachers use English to expand on other subjects instead of actually teaching ENGLISH.

7)Teachers treat dead writers as if they were flawless and need to be idolized instead of imperfect people whose work can be criticized.

10)Yes, the author proposed several solutions to the problem by suggesting alternative books to read and different methods of teaching. Not suggesting the solutions would weaken her argument because it contradicts her previous statement that although teachers and colleges have spoken of and accepted the decline of literacy, they do nothing to change it. 

Ad Analysis

This ad is effective not only in its ability to visually traumatize its viewers, but also it the rhetorical situation it unconsciously creates.The imagery triumphs in its emotional appeal by targeting a little boy, an emblem of hope and innocence. We are both exposed to the reality of a mother’s abuse and the possibility of her child’s, as well. It leads us to wonder about the child’s fate and incorporates an element of shock as that fate is blatantly revealed to us in the form of a bruised eye. Irony is also used to captivate the ad’s audience. The phrase, “he has his mother’s eyes,” is literally interpreted as a boy who has genetically inherited his mother’s eyes. The connotation is positive. When we combine that loving comparison with a woman’s abuse message, the outcome transmits eerie black humor that begs undivided attention. 


link: https://naocrituss.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/ai-report-abuse1.jpg

The Art and Craft of Analysis

Graphic Organizer

Quotation	Paraphrase/Summarize	Rhetorical Strategy/Style Element	Effect/Function
To see the wind, with a man his eyes, it is unpossible, the nature of it is so fine, and subtle, yet this experience of the wind had I once myself, and that was in the great snow that fell four years ago.	The author had encountered some problems with wind and snow four years prior.	There is a poetic style in this excerpt. Ex) Instead of “...I had once myself…,” the author writes, “...had I once myself…”	The style makes it hard to understand. It’s not formal yet not slang. The words and phrases are arranged in a way that make you think and feel.
I rode in the highway betwixt Topcliffe- upon- Swale, and Berowe Bridge, the way being somewhat trodden afore, by wayfaring men. The fields on both sides were plain and lay almost yard deep with snow, the night afore had been a little frost, so that the snow was hard and crusted above. That morning the sun shone bright and clear, the wind was whistling aloft, and sharp according to the time of the year. The snow in the highway lay loose and trodden with horse feet: so as the wind blew, it took the loose snow with it, and made it so slide upon the snow in the field which was hard and crusted by reason of the frost overnight, that thereby I might see very well, the whole nature of the wind as it blew that day.	The author rode in a highway that had already been ridden on by other men. The two fields next to his pathway were filled with hard snow that flew away as soon as the wind blew.	Personification: Ex)“The sun shone bright and clear.” Ex) “The wind was whistling aloft, and sharp according to the time of the year.” Ex) “...as the wind blew, it took the loose snow with it…”	The nature of the wind is conveyed by the extent of its impact on the snow.
And I had a great delight and pleasure to mark it, which maketh me now far better to remember it. Sometime the wind would be not past two yards broad, and so it would carry the snow as far as I could see. Another time the snow would blow over half the field at once. Sometime the snow would tumble softly, by and by it would fly wonderful fast.	Paying close attention to this event helped the author remember it. Sometimes the snow carried the snow with ease, sometimes it would do so with force, and sometimes with speed.	Parallelism: “Sometime the wind would be not past two yards broad, and so it would carry the snow as far as I could see. Another time the snow would blow over half the field at once. Sometime the snow would tumble softly, by and by it would fly wonderful fast.” *Personifications bolded	Parallelism helps maintain the structure of the wind’s effect and personification aids its visual descriptions, making the snow seem more alive.
And this I perceived also that the wind goeth by streams and not whole together. For I should see one stream within a score on me, then the space of two score no snow would stir, but after so much quantity of ground, another stream of snow at the same very time should be carried likewise, but not equally. For the one would stand still when the other flew apace, and so continue sometime swiftlier, sometime slowlier, sometime broader, sometime narrower, as far as I could see. Nor it flew not straight, but sometime it crooked this way sometime that way, and sometime it ran about in a compass.	The wind is not distributed equally but is actually very disheveled, as shown by the effects it has on the snow.	Parallelism: “sometime swiftlier, sometime slowlier, sometime broader, sometime narrower…” Poetic Phrasing: Ex) “...it flew not straight...” instead of  “it didn’t flow straight.” Non-Modern Language: “...the wind goeth by streams and not whole together.” Personification Ex) “... it ran about in a compass.”	Snow is given human attributes to, once again, convey the nature of the wind.
And sometime the snow would be lift clean from the ground into the air, and by and by it would be all clapped to the ground as though there had been no wind at all, straightway it would rise and fly again.And that which was the most marvel of all, at one time two drifts of snow flew, the one out of the west into the east, the other out of the north into the east: And I saw two winds by reason of the snow the one cross over the other, as it had been two highways. And again I should hear the wind blow in the air, when nothing was stirred at the ground. And when all was still where I rode, not very far from me the snow would be lifted wonderfully.	Sometimes the snow would be lifted suddenly from the ground and other times stay on the ground as if it hadn’t been there at all. It would also fly in all directions or intermingle to form something that looks like a highway. Sometimes, the wind could be heard but not seen.	parallelism: the snow would always be lifted into the air after it changes course of direction.	This helps the author support his later claim that men lose their arrows--because the wind often lifts into the air, perhaps also bringing an arrow with it.
This experience made me more marvel at the nature of the wind than it made me cunning in the knowledge of the wind: but yet thereby I learned perfectly that it is no marvel at all though men in a wind lose their length in shooting, seeing so many ways the wind is so variable in blowing.	The author is more impressed by the wind than his knowledge of the wind. It is not a surprise that men lose their arrows in the wind, seeing as how there are so many different ways it can blow.	word usage(style): Ex) the words “length in shooting” is used instead of arrow. Ex) “It is no marvel…” instead of “It is no surprise.” Ex)”The wind is so variable in blowing”	These words add sophistication because they imply--they do not tell you bluntly tell you the exact word but you can tell exactly what the object is by the language the author uses to describe it.

We Can Afford to Give Parents a Break

The prevailing pattern of development in Jody Heyman's "We an Afford to Give Parents a Break" is cause and effect. She presents counterarguments for the myths that shroud mothering policies. She begins her essay by defining the issue at hand then elaborates by classifying those issues to incorporate elements of logos and pathos. To strengthen her elaborations, she uses comparing/contrasting techniques(Ireland vs. the U.S's  economic growth, the U.S's stance in economic competition relative to other countries', low vs. middle income mothers).

Rhetorical Einstein

Einstein's rhetorical effectiveness is attributed to his appeal to logos, ethos, and pathos. He establishes ethos with a Nobel Prize in Physics and credentials in the theory of relativity. Einstein also incorporates logos as he voices support for science's Laws of Nature and further strengthens his argument with his acknowledgement of the religious controversy. Last but not least, Einstein appeals to pathos when he reveals a connection between the laws of nature to the laws of the universe--that therein lies a larger power than science that continues to reinforce our emotional inferiority.