Blog #7

At the beginning on this course, I was nervous. I had no idea what to expect coming into my first college class. The work load, the teaching style and the difficulty level were all things that worried me. English was not my strong subject throughout high school, which also added to my anxiety.

            Once classes started and I saw the course syllabus, I was still very concerned. I had never had such a small time period to write a paper in high school. Five papers in five weeks seemed like an overwhelming amount of work to do. I was scared that I would not be able to keep up and still do a good job on each paper. As the assignments came up one after another, I felt a lot more comfortable.

            After the first paper was finished, I realized it was not impossible after all. The way in which each paper had to be prepared made it much easier than I had anticipated. The requirement of a rough draft eliminated procrastination for the final paper. Without the draft there is no doubt that at least once I would have been cramming all of my thoughts at one o’clock in the morning the day it was do. By making a draft first, I was able to get my thoughts out earlier and have more time for corrections.

            Peer review corrections also helped me out a lot during this course. In the beginning, I was very skeptical of the idea. I usually do not like peer review because I do not like everyone reading my paper. Also, I feel bad reviewing other papers because I do not want to offend anyone and act as if I am better than them. I soon realized that peer review was actually extremely helpful for both me and my peers. I got a lot of useful feedback during every revising class and my classmates took my critique positively as well. Peer review day became one of the most vital days to me  because it was an important step to improvement my subpar writing skills from high school.

            I feel as though this class was run under very laid back circumstances. At the same time, I learned a lot. I never felt out of place or intimidated to ask questions. I never left the class feeling unprepared for the assignment I had to complete. I liked that there were always office hours so that I could get extra help if needed. Alyse made it a very informal and relaxing way to ask questions about the course. The assigned office hours were a great way to initiate later unplanned meeting times. Without the first meeting I would have been more apprehensive about going to  her office.

            Overall I found this course extremely helpful. I thought it was a great way to ease into the college way taking classes. I feel a lot more prepared and less anxious about having a full work load in the fall. I am happy to have had this course and I would definitely recommend it to future students.

Blog #6

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a toy goddess. She lived in Funtoysia and was named Gianna. This goddess was the ruler of all the toys in her kingdom.  She made toys, gave away toys, fixed toys, and anything else you could possible imagine. Although this is true today, it was not always the case.

When Gianna was a young, she did not have many toys at all. The toys that she did have were raggedy and not much fun. As a result she would treat them very poorly.

            “I don’t want these toys! They aren’t fun and they are too old,” Gianna would say everytime she was given a toy.

            Her mother did not have much money, so she could not get her better toys to play with. Her mother gave her anything she could find that could possibly entertain her daughter, but it nothing ever seemed to work. Then, one day her mother came home with the most beautiful toy Gianna had ever seen.

            “Oh my! Mother, where did you ever find this,” Gianna asked her mother with excitement, “I have never had something so special to play with!”

            “Well darling, I have been saving up to get you something this nice. I knew you would appreciate it. I think the woman at the store told me it is called a doll,” replied her mother.

            Gianna played with the doll all day long until she curled up in bed hold the doll in her arms for a good night’s rest. The next day, Gianna still played with the doll. She continued to play with it week after week. When her mother noticed how much she enjoyed the doll, she realized how important toys were to Gianna. She knew from then on it was worth every penny she had to save to give her daughter toys to play with.

            A few weeks later, Gianna’s mother came home from the market with another surprise.

            “Gianna,” she called as she walked in the door, “I have something for you! Come downstairs please.”

            Gianna raced down the steps with her doll in her hand, “What is it, Mama?”

            “Well, I know how much you have been enjoying your new toy so I thought I would buy you another one to play with.” Her mother took the toy from behind her back and handed it to Gianna. This time, she gave her daughter a box a building blocks.

            “What do I do with this? I don’t know how to play with this thing. I don’t think I want it.” Gianna seemed disappointed that it was not another doll. Her mother explained to her that blocks can make anything she ever imagined, and then Gianna was a little more excited. She ran upstairs and played with her doll and blocks for the next few weeks.

            As time went by, Gianna’s mother continued to buy her a few new toys instead of the many old toys she did not find interesting. After awhile, Gianna even saved her own money to buys every toy she ever wanted.

            After a few years, she had too many toys to keep track of. Gianna’s mother told her she had to get rid of some of her toys because they were taking up too much space. Gianna refused and insisted that they could talk to her and would tell her stories and thank her for playing with them every day. If she threw them away they would be very hurt and hate her forever.

            Gianna and her mother argued every day about the toys. Until one day, Gianna decided to move out. That is when she discovered Funtoysia. This was a place that she could have as many toys as she pleased and do whatever she wanted to do with them. The toys loved Gianna and it is said that all the toys that children mistreat and throw away somehow find their way to Funtoysia. Gianna looks over the toys and has never left Funtoysia since the day she moved out of her mother’s house.

Blog #5

“Gender through Disney’s Eyes.” Psybersite. 2 June 2007. 27 July 2011.

http://www.units.muohio.edu/psybersite/disney/disneygender.shtml.

            This website includes a lot of information about the different portrayals of gender throughout Disney. It includes gender within the theme parks and in film. The site describes and give statistics about the about of males, females, and even homosexuals working in the Disney theme parks. It then goes on to discuss how gender is seen within movies. There are specific examples about the male to female ratios in Disney movies. Also, there are specific examples of the portrayal of gender roles within the movies, or what males and females are depicted as and what their actions mean to children watching the movie.

            I found this site very useful. It has a lot of fact, statistics, and specific examples. I know these examples are accurate because I have seen all of the Disney movies discussed. These valid arguments are often times left disregarded because they seem so natural due to the stereotypes they have created throughout the nation. This site will definitely help me while writing my persuasive research paper.

            I plan to use this information in my paper to make the point that Disney creates stereotypes about how males and females should act. I can use the examples given to help my argument. Also, it will allow me to think about other Disney movies not mentioned more in depth to find my own examples.

Brunette, Libby, Claudette Mallory, and Shannon Wood. “Stereotypes and Racism in Children’s

Movies.” 1-4. 2007. 27 July 2011.

http://www.nhaeyc.org/newsletters/articles/Racism_in_Childrens_Movies.pdf.

            This article provides me with a lot of information regarding racism and stereotypes within Disney movies. The authors begin by explaining child development and the ages at which they begin to pick up on stereotypes. The article also explain the definition on racism in order to clarify their point. It then proceeds to discuss how this relates to the Disney movies children are watching. This is done by giving examples from specific Disney movies which show a lot of racism and stereotyping. After examples are given, it explains what this can teach children watching the movies.

            I believe this article is going to be very helpful while I am writing my paper. It uses a lot of reliable information and examples to aid my argument. It not only talks about Disney, but also provides background information about how the child’s mind works at the age they are most commonly going to be watching a Disney movie. By providing a definition for what they are discussing it also helps me to understand exactly what they are referring to in their examples.

            I plan to use this source in a similar way in which I will be using the previous source. It will be used to create another point about the negative influences Disney has on today’s society. I will have specific examples to base my ideas off of, and then be able to branch out into my own examples. They information about child development and the ages at which children are most vulnerable to falling into believing these stereotypes will also be used throughout my paper.

Blog #4

As I walked passed Taco Bell downtown, I was drawn to an ad on the window. The ad read “The Hunger Hook Up” with a picture of the new XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito. The words were very large in order to grab the attention of everyone walking down College Avenue. The words were in a white, bold font which stood out nicely against the bright orange background. The burrito on the add was about 20 times the size of an actual burrito. It displayed from the angle that you would see the burrito as if it was going into your mouth. It was filled with meat, cheese, rice, bean, tomatoes and guacamole all looking as fresh as they possibly could.

            As I began analyzing this ad, I realized how effective it actually is. The eyes of the audience, or anyone walking down College Avenue, were immediately turned towards the Taco Bell window. The advertisement was very large, making it very difficult to miss. The burrito in the picture looked absolutely perfect and had many details. This allows the audience to almost taste it as they walk by. Their emotions and appetite is then affected, causing them to want to buy the burrito. Also, the wording is very catchy. Instead of simply stating what the new burrito is it, it claims that it is the “hunger hook up.” This creates the argument that whoever is hungry will be satisfied as soon as they eat the burrito. The argument is very concise and does not require the passerby to read a lot of writing in order to get the point of the ad. This is good since most people would not stop on the street simply to read a paragraph about a new burrito. The picture and phrase say it all.

            A second advertisement I came across while walking downtown was outside of the clothing store, Access. The ad stood out to me because of its bright colors and catchy words. The background was bright green and filled with outlines of clothing. There were shoes, shirts and pants seen in the background in a somewhat abstract manner. This design alone catches the attention of people walking by. On top of the design, there were large bold words reading “Storewide sale! Everything 15% off!” The word “everything” was in capital letters in order to emphasis this statement. The advertisement was seen multiple times in front on the store. Most of them could be seen on the windows. Behind the ads you could see into the store and look at the clothing that they have to offer.

            This advertisement was also made for the public walking around downtown State College, but more specifically, young females. This ad was not made in order to persuade the audience, but rather inform them of the sale. This information will then cause them to want to buy clothing at a cheaper price. Since the word “everything” is emphasized, it uses logos to assure the costumer that they will receive the discount of whatever they find in the store without confusion. The clothing in the background of the ad allows people to see the ad from far away and know that it is for a clothing store even if they can’t actually see the store front. Once they approach the store front, they will see the other ads and peer into the window. There were multiple mannequins displaying some of the clothing from the store. Someone interested in the store will most likely see something they like and since they also know it is discounted, they will go into the store to check out the price. This will then lead to them searching the store for more discounted clothing. This lime green store ad is very effective and to the point, helping the store make business. 

Blog # 3

                              Marissa Scheiner has had a very unique hobby for the past fifteen years. Different from most hobbies such as soccer, cheerleading or playing an instrument, Marissa is an ice skater. This is an activity that I find pretty awesome since I would never have the coordination to take up ice skating. Her hobby began at the age of three while following in her two older sisters’ footsteps. She loved to watch her sisters twirl with grace across the ice, and ever since her first time on skates, she was stuck.

                From the basic two footed spins to the more advanced salchow jump, Marissa did it all. She practiced five times a week for about three hours once she was at the level for competition. In order to make it to this level, she had to go through a lot of training so that she could pass the required levels of skill. While Marissa was at practice, you would find her wearing tight black pants so that her coaches would be able to perfect every angle of her body. She competed against three girls in many competitions around the New York state, placing first or second in every one.

Most of the competitions Marissa competed in were individual competitions, but there were also some team competitions. This is call synchronized skating teams. These teams practice even more during the week in order to perfect the routine so they all look identical on the ice. This took a lot of grace and patience to get an entire routine ready for a competition.

Throughout her career, Marissa had a few obstacles. During the competition season of her freshman year, she suffered stress fractures in her left foot. Stress fractures can cause a lot of pain, and can take up to a few months to heal. This did not stop her. She was determined to get back on the ice and perform better than ever.

Although she did not like the pressure that was put on her for competitions and the amount of commitment the sport took, she competed until sophomore year of high school. After that point, she could not keep up with her social life, school and skating. This caused her to stop competition skating. Her coaches were very upset to hear that she would not be a member of the team anymore since she was one of the best they had.

Even though the competitions ended, her skating did not. Marissa went through even more training to be able to teach young girls how to skate. She enjoys coaching a lot, but also said, “It can be very dangerous because they fall a lot. The parents are always watching, and it can be a huge liability.” The fear of the five year old girls and boys does not hold Marissa back from teaching them everything she can. She loves to watch them improve with every lesson, teaching them for complicated tricks day by day.

Ice skating takes a lot of practice, grace and commitment and I respect Marissa for having the passion and courage to be a competitive skater.  Marissa would like to use this unique gift to open her own ice skating school, and I hope the very best for her.

Blog #2

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/world/americas/05drown.html?_r=1&ref=world

                While reading the article “8 Missing in Mexico After Vessel Sinks” written by Elizabeth A. Harris, it was hard for me to draw a clear image in my mind of what had actually happened. This is the fault of Harris, who did not use effective descriptive language throughout the article. By using phrases such as “…it was bad weather and possibly waves..” a clear illustration about  the strength or effects of the storm is not made. In addition, there are no clear details as to where the vessel sank, but rather stated it was “60 miles south of San Felipe.” Another brief description is given with regards to the conditions of the sea. It is only acknowledged that “The water temperature in the Sea of Cortez is very warm, the air temperature is really warm…” The term “warm” is a relative condition. What is warm to one person is different than what another person considers to be warm. The actual temperature is not given, which would give the reader a better understanding of what conditions the passengers endured while the vessel was sinking. Finally, the situation which occurred while the two men paddled back to shore is left uncertain. It is only confirmed that they paddled, leaving out the details of how far they paddled or the length of time during which they paddled. These are all descriptions that could have been far more effective in creating a mental picture for the reader to understand if they had more detail.

                Based off of what I have learned in class, I was able to do a rhetorical analysis of this article. Rhetorical appeals, for one, were present throughout the piece of writing. Ethos, or the qualifications stated in order to gain the trust of the audience, is found within the text. The ethe are mostly given where quotations are present in this article. For example, there are quotes from the spokesman of the Coast Guard. That is obviously a reliable and well known source for information given about a sunken vessel. Some other trustworthy sources include the Associated Press and a survivor from the accident. Another type of rhetorical appeal is logos, the logical appeal to a reader. Logos are not found within this article, but there are definitely some that could have been added by the author. Harris could have mentioned the facts and statistics about survival at sea, engaging the readers more and making them think in a deeper manner about the remaining passengers at sea. Lastly, pathos is the emotional appeal found in written works. Pathos is minimal in this article, but it can be found. The quote from the survivor, “I’m relieved I’m alive, but I’m scared for the people who haven’t been found yet.” can draw emotion as readers feel empathy for what he has gone through. To continue with the rhetorical analysis, the exigence, or motivation behind the rhetor is to simply inform the readers about the accident in Mexico. There is no message or meaning deeper than the pure facts and information given about the accident.  The audience, although it can be said to be the general public, is more specifically the readers of The New York Times. Harris informs her audience through the context of a news article, so she can get her point across directly and quickly since news papers are usually something many people read. This rhetorical analysis allows me to better understand everything Harris put into writing this article.

Blog #1

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/world/europe/23iht-galliano23.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=galliano&st=cse

While searching The New York Times website, my attention was drawn most towards the article “Designer Galliano Says He Can’t Recall Speaking Slurs” written by Doreen Carvajal. This article grabbed my attention for a number of reasons. First, I immediately recognized the French designer in the title, John Galliano. Fashion is something that has fascinated me for many years, and I thought it would be a good piece for me to read. I was also interested by the title because it mentioned slurs. I find racial slurs offensive and degrading even though they are usually not directed towards me, as I am not part of a minority. I understand and have empathy for those being hurt by the cruel words spoken by ignorant people. All I had to do was briefly analyze the title, and Carvajal had already gained my attention.

The article continued to keep my attention throughout the reading by incorporating dialogue and personal quotations of people involved in the case as well as Galliano himself. This allowed me to think about his words and make my own analysis of the situation. I was also interested in the story he told about his life. It adds more dynamic elements for the reader to think about since he claims to have been discriminated against in her childhood years. This makes to reader think about whether or not that causes them to believe that Galliano is being truthful when stating the remarks are merely because of his addictions.

After reading the article, I found it to be very effective. It fulfilled its purpose to inform the reader of the trial and defense of Galliano.  Carvajal took an indifferent stance and did not include personal opinions or persuasion to pull her audience towards one thought. The article was well written for an unknown audience, which could be anyone searching through The New York Times. It gave enough information for anyone to pick up the paper and understand it without any necessary background knowledge. The electronic format of the piece was also effective because it was not anything that had to be personal or draw emotion. In addition, it makes it convenient for readers to continue to search and read more about the case. Carvajal mentioned a video of Galliano in which you can hear him make racial comments, and some readers may want to watch the video before forming their personal opinions about the case. Carvajal could have made the article even more effective by adding a link to a video, making it very easily accessible to the audience. Something that did help to engage the reader was the picture in the design. This allowed the unknown audience to see who the article was written about, since they may not have previously heard of Galliano. I gained a lot of insight from the article, and I believe the majority of the other readers could say the same about the article “Designer Galliano Says He Can’t Recall Speaking Slurs.”