Blog #4: Go Carolina

Precis:

David Sedaris, in his “Go Carolina,” asserts that there was a special mold for teenage boys when he was growing up, but if you didn’t fit that mold you should embrace your personality instead of trying to be like everyone else. Sedaris employs personal anecdote, self-deprecating humor, sarcasm and analogies to illustrate this message. His purpose is to show his audience that even though society may knock on your door, it may be better to do things “the hard way” and go against the tide to be your true self. He appeals to an audience of men, women, boys and girls who are struggling to find their identity through the noise of their external influences.

Response:

1. The speech therapy story is very telling of school methods. It basically posits that teachers are out to get students who they perceive as “different” or “slow," and they want to publicize the shortcomings of their students. In the story, Mrs. Samson is referred to as an “agent” who is coming to take David for his crime of being unable to pronounce his s’s. I don’t think this depiction of school methods is true. Especially at the Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys, and especially with this teacher named Mrs. Ashley Brown, there is a sense of a common goal between the students and the faculty. I think this holds true as a general principle as well: teachers usually come to sincerely care about their students, and they just want the best for them.
2. Sedaris uses humor admirably throughout this piece to illustrate things that, upon deeper analysis, should not be taken lightly. For example, when Mrs. Samson is thinking about putting a sign on the speech therapy room. Sedaris thinks that it should say “FUTURE HOMOSEXUALS OF AMERICA.” I mean, when I read this I laughed out loud, but it’s actually kind of sad. He’s only a child, and he feels like everybody sees him as different, as a homosexual, someone who is inferior to them. Sedaris uses the humor so well and it makes his stories that much more fun to read.
3. Sedaris’ tone is lighthearted and fun. He takes things to the extreme and really uses his imagination. For example, he says that the teacher was probably saying things like “David’s not here today but if he were, he’d have a speech therapy session at two-thirty.” This gives the story, one with so much underlying meaning, a comic relief that is essential for its enjoyment.

Blog #3: Toni Morrison

Precis

In her “Nobel Lecture on Literature” (1993), Toni Morrison establishes the power of language to develop or destroy nations, cultures and independence. Morrison tells a fable, uses sophisticated diction, and employs narration in her quest to honor the beauty of language throughout her speech. Morrison wishes to instill in her audience a love for language, a respect for something which has far more power than they had thought. She is preaching to any man or woman in the world who wants to learn about language.

Response

1. Morrison has an extremely positive attitude towards language. This is a woman who had devoted her entire life to writing beautiful stories for others to enjoy. If you think Morrison’s work was only for the sake of her peers, however, you are sorely mistaken. Toni Morrison grew up as a black girl in a world where blacks were inferior to whites, and language was her main source of pride and it gave her a sense of belonging that she failed to find anywhere else.
2. At the beginning of the story, the woman wants these kids to realize that the bird is in their hands. It is their responsibility, whether it is alive or dead. The bird, however, is symbolic of language, and the woman has disdain for these children who make language a matter which it was not intended to be. However, later in the story, she understands that these kids just want to learn about language and how to use it. They want her to teach them how to look at language the same way she does.

The Importance of Getting History Right

Throughout time, governments and institutions have use propaganda techniques to twist information in order to persuade readers. In every situation, there are simple, yet effective ways to make the aggressor look like the victim, and the terrorized seem malicious. Although subtle, these techniques make a world of difference. Racial and ethnic minorities can easily be marginalized and discriminated against without justice being served. With the growing trend of newspaper and media bias, this issue is becoming increasingly relevant today. Until we succeed in accurately presenting historical events, we will repeat our past mistakes and continue to live in an unjust world of bias and hate.

During World War II, Germany was the center of propaganda. They had recently suffered huge financial losses in the aftermath of World War I, and Adolf Hitler took over, a persuasive character with an unmatched greed for power. He appointed Josef Goebbels as the Minister of Propaganda, and the government proceeded to brainwash their citizens with glamorous ideas of patriotism and nationalism. All books, newspapers and films were heavily censored by the government. Through these methods, they were able to put their evils on a pedestal and make it seem like they were doing nothing wrong, when in reality they were committing a mass genocide of European Jews.

Such explicit propaganda is not the only way groups have misrepresented history in the past. Sometimes, the omission of key information when presenting a story can change the story so drastically and flip the roles of those involved. For example, during the Memphis Massacre in the late 1800s, newspapers flipped the narrative, making the black men and women seem like beastly monsters while portraying the white citizens as innocent victims of unfortunate circumstances. This was far from the case. In reality, the whites were terrorizing the blacks, dehumanizing them in every way possible by murdering many and putting the rest at fear. However, nothing was done about the situation because many were convinced that nothing problematic was going on in Memphis because of the inaccurate portrayal of the events through the media.

A final example, on a bit closer to my heart, is that of the current situation in the Middle East. Most American media providers, being liberal as they are, twist the headlines and portray events far differently from the way they occur. They always make Israel seem like the bully, simply because it has more resources. For example, on Sunday October 11th, the Los Angeles Times had the headline, “6 Palestinian Teens Die Amid Mideast Unrest.” This was the truth, not the whole truth, and everything but the truth. In reality, those teenagers stabbed three Jews before being shot out of self-defense. If you look at the facts, they were clearly the instigators in this case. However, when the event goes through the news filter, the whole story is changed.

Overall, news outlets have to improve at objective reporting instead of biased headlines. This way, our world will be a world of historical truth, where people will be able to judge events by looking at articles instead of having to look at several newspapers in order to get the full picture of one event. The twisting of history in the past has led to nothing besides evil; because if you are doing good things, why would you have a problem with those events being publicized? The only reason for twisting history is to hide evil. If we can get history right, our world will be  better place.

Blog #2: Vietnam Veterans Memoral

Precis:

Maya Lin, a twenty-one-year-old Yale University student at the time, designed a monument to memorialize the fallen soldiers of the Vietnam War. Her design is unique and effective because it slopes downward with the path, and people viewing it can see themselves reflected in the stone, which facilitated the increase in external awareness that Lin desired. Lin wanted to capture the attention of Americans with her V-shaped design, which stood out amidst the myriad of white buildings at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Lin’s audience includes young ambitious foreigners who fear discrimination in their careers and also anyone who wants to commemorate those fallen in battle.

Response:

Maya Lin is such an inspiration to me and it is amazing to see what she was able to accomplish. As the daughter of a Chinese immigrant, some may ask, “What does this girl know about the Vietnam War and American history?” Given her credentials, however, I would venture to say this girl is entitled to be the designer of such a monumental memorial and we should celebrate her accomplishments instead of scorn them. I mean, it gives me so much hope to see someone so young doing such great things. She is only four years older than me! If I am able to achieve something of that magnitude in the next four years, I will be satisfied with my life accomplishments.

Questions
1. The design is what makes this monument so incredible. So many times we see these monuments that are the same, and honestly it can get mind-numbing. It is impossible to display all the emotions and intricacies of someone’s life through a metal block. It is disrespectful to the fallen to enshrine them in such a boring way. Lin recognized this and was able to construct a memorial that was both appropriate and gave respect to the uniqueness of each individual it commemorated.

2, I think this kind of memorial says a lot about veterans and the nature of war. You know how they say a picture is worth 1,000 words? In my mind, a sculpture is worth a million. The added dimensions of the work make it so much more than a simple painting. They way Lin included EVERY single name of the soldiers on the memorial speaks to the value of human life and the blood, sweat and tears each soldier put into the war. It would be grossly disgraceful not to commemorate and acknowledge each life lost. Each soldier had their own unique story. Additionally, the length of the memorial is shocking. It covers a ridiculous amount of ground. I think this element of design said a lot about war. It cannot be sufficiently remembered with a small structure. This structure required a whole lot of work, just the same way a whole lot of work was put into the war.

Living Like Weasels

Rhetorical Precis:

In her essay “Living Like Weasels” (1974), Annie Dillard urges her audience to step back from their daily stresses and live a carefree life. She illustrates this lifestyle by examining the weasel and its “wild” and nonchalant nature, and uses personal anecdote, alliteration and metaphors to convey her ideas. Dillard’s purpose is to relay to her audience her dream life, one without care and full of passive appreciation for nature, and to let them know that they can enjoy the same way of life as well. Her openness about her own life creates a positive relationship with her audience, people who appreciate good literature and the beauty of nature.

Response

1. The numbered sections in the essay are very helpful for the reader because it divides the essay into sections. It’s kind of like big paragraphs containing little paragraphs inside, if that makes sense at all. For example Section I discusses, at length, the weasel and how it lives. To the reader, this is a very abrupt beginning to the essay. Why is Dillard randomly talking about weasels? In Section II, she explains why she was even thinking about weasels - because she exchanged a long glance with one at Hollins Pond the week before. The whole essay is a stream of consciousness, and Dillard is all over the place with her thoughts. The sections proved to be a reader's dream.

2. The line “noticing everything, remembering nothing…” is very telling and encompasses Dillard’s main point of her essay. Throughout her whole “Living Like Weasels,” Dillard is trying to explain that we can learn something from the way the weasel lives - without desiring unnecessary commodities, rather being content with what it needs. All the weasel knows is what it needs. The weasel notices everything; it is highly aware of his surroundings and can react to a dangerous situation if it may arise. But the weasel doesn’t remember things, meaning it does not hang onto things and get all emotional and whatnot. This makes life much simpler for it, and it lives a happy life eating, mating and scurrying in the parks.

5. Dillard emphasizes the “wild” nature of the weasel and suggests humans could stand to be a bit more wild in their own lives. This is a fascinating proposal, and it goes hand in hand with everything else she suggested we learn from the weasel. The weasel is a creature of instinct - it does what it wants to do without necessarily weighing the consequences beforehand. While such behavior could possibly prove detrimental, many times we hold ourselves down by constantly thinking about what others will say about what we do. Sometimes one needs to stop overthinking life, and as Nike likes to say, just do it.