TOW #3 - Text

In the more recent years, there has been a lot of attention on women's rights. Women have been fighting for recognition in the social world, especially in the workplace. However, Ann-Marie Slaughter brings up a very valid point in her article on Time, Women Are Sexist, Too. As the title states very obviously, Slaughter's main argument in her article is that women are just as sexist of men as men are of women. Of course, it's been known that in the workplace, women are treated unequally compared to how men are treated. Slaughter even brings up a scenario in which, "you walk into your office on your first day of work and your boss, a man, says, 'I have evolved biologically to do this job better than you can, but I'm going to let you try. To be sure it's done right, however, I will leave you detailed instructions for every individual task. And when I travel, I will call in every couple of hours to make sure you are following those instructions to the letter.' " (5). She continues by saying how women become upset at this situation. However, she notes, in regards to leaving male partners in charge of children, the double standards that women hold. Just as men criticize women for not doing something their way in the workplace, women criticize men for not doing things their way in the household. The only difference is that men have been addressed about their criticism, while women have free reign to criticize their husbands; otherwise, they say that their rights are being violated. Although I am for women's rights, I agree with Slaughter that men should be receive their rights in the household just as women receive theirs in the workplace.

TOW #2 - Text

Katherine Anne Porter, author of The Future is Now, writes about her experiences in the post-WWII era during the 1950s. The Cold War, which occurred from the late 1940s until the early 1990s, dominated the way that Americans lived. The military doctrine known as "mutually assured destruction" first applied to the Cold War and stated that both the attacker(s) and defender(s) would be completely annihilated in the full-scale use of weapons of mass destruction. This doctrine controlled American lifestyle and shaped their view on the world. Though they were almost forced to live in constant fear of a preemptive nuclear strike from the U.S.S.R., Porter shows the reader a new perspective on life.
She starts her essay with the use of an anecdote to establish her ethos as well as bring forward her view on the use of weapons of mass destruction. As Porter inquires into the procedure of retreating to safety in the event of a bombing, she realizes that "the only real safety seems to lie in simply being somewhere else at the time." (Porter 1). Even though it is such a grim fact, she takes it that there is nothing she can do to increase her chances of survival of a bombing but to refocus on just simply living her life. Porter proves this point further when she describes looking out of her window. She sees a man polishing a table of his, perfecting this seemingly useless object. However, she comes to the realization that "he was not preparing a possible shelter... he is doing something he feels is worth doing now, and that is no small thing." (Porter 3). This extended metaphor ultimately points to the fact that people should cherish the present for what it is instead of being anxious of the future.
I believe that Porter's use of anecdotes and extended metaphors are highly effective in proving her point that the future should not be worried about, and that the present should be focused on. She not only supports it through emotional appeal, but also connects to it on a personal level.

TOW #1 - Visual

This cartoon is drawn by Tom Toles in 2005 for the Washington Post. He spent almost thirty years as a cartoonist for the Buffalo News and the Buffalo Courier-Express prior to joining the Washington Post in 2002. He received the many awards while working for the Post, and also was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1990. This political cartoon expresses the gratitude that is given towards Rosa Parks for her brave act of refusing to give up a front row bus seat to a white person. Her actions got her arrested, but it also helped to spark the civil rights movement that was heating up all across the United States. It implies that she went to heaven for the good she did, and that there was a great reward awaiting her arrival. The cartoon was drawn especially for the African-American community so that they might be joyful in the sacrifice that Parks made to stand against racial injustice. That being said, the cartoonist, Toles, primarily appeals to the emotions of the audience. He appeals to pathos by first drawing the gates of heaven awaiting her arrival. This reinforces the fact that her actions of refusing to move to the back seats of the bus were to stand up for her own rights and against racial injustice, and therefore good. Another way he appeals to pathos is through the caption located at the bottom-right corner of the cartoon, which states, "We've been holding it open since 1955," and suggests that there was a reserved seat in heaven for her ever since she had done that good deed. There can also be some satire interpreted from this comment, criticizing the amount of time it took--fifty years!--for the entire country as a whole to recognize and appreciate her act. I believe Toles is very successful in accomplishing his purpose. His cartoon directly states that Rosa Parks was awaited at a better place because of her good actions against racial discrimination.

IRB Intro Post #1

This marking period, I will be reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I found this book just from the bookshelf in our classroom. Just scanning for any interesting books, I recognized the author of Into The Wild, which I read a few years ago. Since I enjoyed reading Into The Wild, I am expecting a good read out of this one, too. Besides it being the tallest mountain in the world, I don't know much about Mt. Everest and its history/origin. I hope to learn more about it and the adventures of those who took on the challenge.