TOW #10 - visual: Mural in Philadelphia

           There are many different ways to express opinions. Whether that be art or writing, each unique way gets a message across to an audience. A common way to express these messages in the city of Philadelphia is through the art of murals. Pieces of influential art are found on walls of buildings everywhere. Some artist use these murals to try and make a change, yet some artists only paint for their own satisfaction. This particular painting illustrates the image of a young African American boy standing in the middle of a city with his arms reaching up to create a fully grown tree. The roots of the tree run down his arms, resembling his veins.

            Being that this mural was painted on the side of a large building within the city of Philadelphia, the audience is the general public of the city. The message that this mural promotes is one that the artist wants to get across to a wide range of people. The occasion of the art can be assumed, that for a while African Americans have been oppressed. This painting shows that everyone is equal and everyone has potential to create opportunities for themselves.

            The artist uses various rhetorical devices such as personification and contrast. The roots of the tree are being personified as the veins of the child holding the tree in his hands. This personification promotes the message that anyone can open doors for themselves and that their life has worth. The contrast being utilized is found in the colors of the mural. Surrounding the boy in the center, there is a yellow outlining. This makes a contrast between the boy and the background of the mural. The yellow outline makes the boy stand out and leads your eyes to follow the mural up to the tree, or the message within the mural.

            The purpose, that every child has worth and potential, is very clearly and artistically conveyed. I was immediately able to see what the author wanted to show and take away a very important message.

IRB Intro Post #2

For the second marking period, I am choosing to read the book The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. This non-fiction memoir is about Jeannette's unique childhood. Growing up with parents who had very different ideals, Jeannette and her three siblings were raised as nomads who moved from town to town. Sometimes, the family would camp in deserts and mountains. Rex, the father of the family, was an intelligent man but was not usually sober. Rose, the mother, was a creative artist whose priorities were a little unorganized. This book is about Jeannette's journey through her interesting childhood and how she managed to escape her roots. I chose to read this book because I think that there will be many surprised involved in reading it. I think that I will be shocked at the nature of Jeannette's parents. I hope to gain a new perspective on how some people live and what it is like to grow up in such a unique way.

TOW #9 - article: "In these classrooms, fidgeting, moving around and bouncing are encouraged"

The article “In these classrooms, fidgeting, moving around and bouncing are encouraged”, by The Dallas Morning News, talks about the new generation of elementary age kids and their unique energy levels. The article describes how the switch from regular chairs to bouncy balls, wobble chairs, pillows and mats has effected the performance of the children. The author is able to present evidence that is very credible because most of the information provided is from the teachers of the experimental classrooms themselves.

            Within the article, the kid’s behavior is analyzed. Although the article does admit that studies have not yet shown that this specific technique of teaching effects elementary school kid’s behavior, the teachers still offer their perspective on how they think the classroom has changed. Many teachers described seeing a lot of difference in the classroom. Kids began to take out their energy by simply wobbling back and forth on their chair. This was a non-disruptive way to allow the child to get their energy out. This information prompted other teachers to transform their classrooms as well, for the better of their students and each of their performances. The occasion of the text would be the energy of kids of this generation. Because of the amount of growing technology, more and more students are being diagnosed with ADHD. These chairs give disabled students a better chance of learning in a more comfortable setting.

            The author uses rhetorical devices such as exemplification and diction to make her purpose, that this specific transformation of the classroom is more fit for elementary school children, clear. Exemplification is utilized through the use of quotations from teacher whom have transformed their own classrooms. These quotes directly add fuel to the authors purpose. The diction the author uses, such as the words and phrases “helpful”, “successful”, “progressive” and “how students work best”, make the purpose stand out as well.

            I believe the author of this article was very successful in giving their purpose. Personally, I did not know much about this topic. The author thoroughly convinced me that the new transformations of the classroom benefitted students.

TOW #8 - IRB: "Tuesdays with Morrie"

            Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is a novel about the importance of relationships in life. Mitch Albom was a student at Brandeis University that created a blossoming connection with his professor, Morrie Shwartz. After graduation, years passed by and the relationship eventually fell apart and each person’s lives continued to go in their individual directions. During the flipping of channels, Albom had a spontaneous reconnection with his long lost professor and committed to visiting him each Tuesday to discuss how to make Mitch’s life flourish to carve a new, happier path.

            Albom reaches out to an audience of the general public with life challenges in the field of relationships. Albom focuses on the details in the lessons he learned from Shwartz, making the book very oriented around the lessons he learned each Tuesday. This draws in a particular audience who is looking to learn about fixing relationships and mending their path in life. By specifically detailing the lesson portion of the novel, Albom is able to guide the audience through an informational lesson on life while characterizing not only himself but Morrie Shwartz.

            Mitch Albom keeps a constant purpose throughout his book. He writes to express Morrie’s outlook on life and what should be considered important in an individual’s journey. This purpose is achieved by using rhetorical devices such as metaphors and anecdotes. By referring to flashbacks often in the book, Albom helps the audience understand why each life lesson is relevant in each Mitch’s and Morrie’s life. Metaphors are also heavily used to show how even when at the end of the book, when Morrie passed away, his lessons still greatly impacted his life and where it would go. The metaphors helped show the audience what impact Morrie’s wisdom had on his life.

            The purpose is communicated very successfully. By the end of the book, the audience had a really clear understanding on the impact Morrie’s lessons had on Mitch’s life, even after he had passed away.

TOW #7 - article: "Bop"

            “Bop” by Langston Hughes is a short essay about the history and significance of bop music. Hughes himself was a large part of many civil rights movements, including being a strong voice in the Harlem Renaissance. This makes him very culturally aware, therefore credible enough to speak about the importance and history of bop music to an audience of diverse people. The narrator is in the casual setting of a stoop of his friend, Simple’s, house. They speak to each other about the meaning and history of bop music. Hughes does not know where the strange sounds come from but Simple explains the history behind it to him. The music and sounds incorporated with bop music come from negroes and the sounds they made when they were brutally attacked by the police.

            Langston Hughes uses diction and the first person to convey his purpose, to educate his audience on the history and importance of bop music. The diction within this short essay is very casual, allowing for the audience to be able to easily understand and relate to what he is saying. Hughes is then able to get his purpose across more easily and meaningfully. The simplicity of the essay adds to the overall effect it has on the audience. The use of first person also allows the audience to deeply connect with the narrator. It allows the audience to put themselves in the narrator’s shoes because neither the audience or the narrator know the meaning behind bop music when the essay begins. Therefore, the audience and the narrator can grow together.

            The author’s purpose, the inform the audience about the meaning behind bop music, is successfully displayed in the essay. It takes the narrator and the audience into a relatable conversation that guides the history of the unique music in a step by step process. This allows the purpose to come off clearly and meaningfully.