IRB Intro Post #3

For the third marking period, I chose to read Fear Itself by Rush W. Dozier, Jr. Browsing through the public library, I came across this book and thought it would be interesting to learn more about the ways that one of the most important human emotions, fear, shapes our lives and our world. Fear is evidently very prevalent in all of our lives, but we pay so little attention to where it comes from or the deeper purpose it serves. I hope to understand these things so that I can be aware of how my emotions are controlling me.

TOW #16 - IRB

Getting through the rest of Unbroken was a bit harder than I expected over the past few weeks because of midterms and other tests, as well as this weekend's blizzard. To make the situation worse, the second half of Unbroken was far less exciting than the first in my opinion. While Louie's camp was liberated and he was sent home at the end of World War II, gets married, and has a religious awakening, there was a considerably smaller amount of action. Nevertheless, the second half of Unbroken is undoubtedly the more important one. During his time in the concentration camps, he is constantly beaten by the relentless Watanabe, the concentration camp warden. However, during one of his punishments in which he had to hold a heavy wooden beam over his head, Louie is victorious in this psychological battle between him and Watanabe by refusing to be proven weak. This climactic point substantiates the title, Unbroken, by showing his mental and physical resilience, even after everything he went through. On several occasions, Laura Hillenbrand, the author, explains that the key to survival through such difficult times is through the preservation of human dignity. She illustrates with Louie’s story that the men that had maintained their humanity and dignity, despite horrific inhumane treatment, were the ones that had a much stronger chance of survival. Long after the body was physically capable of staying alive, Louie, along with other men, managed to survive through little rebellious acts, which kept their spirits unbroken and thus, their individuality intact. Louie acquired a journal and pencil from another captive of Yokohama, and he admitted that “this small declaration of self a great deal” to him (204). Mac, the third crash survivor on the life raft, did not survive at sea, despite eating all of the survival chocolate. He remained sullen and quiet, and at times, gave up hope. His example strengthens Hillenbrand’s thesis, that a fighting spirit that remains unbroken can survive anything.

TOW #15 - Text

In one of their articles, The Onion, infamous for its satire, discusses a NASA mission that discovered a planet identical to Earth by using an orbital mirror. The article makes absurd claims about scientific discoveries made with the mirror throughout. At the beginning of the article, The Onion writes, “According to NASA, the $2.9 billion aluminum glass mirror… suggesting that our solar system may contain a terrestrial planet of the exact same size, shape, and surface composition as Earth” (par. 2). Later in the article, they compare the two planets, discussing how they are exactly the same is water composition, period of rotation, and axial tilt. The idea of a space mirror is absurd enough, but The Onion continues to mock the usage of NASA by using these comparisons as emphasis. In this way, the author is able to convince readers of a downfall in NASA’s practical days, since the article makes it look like NASA is only being used for absurd missions nowadays. Continuing through the article, there are also examples of irony used in order to show the absurdity of the theoretical space mirror. The article states, “’What may be even more surprising is that it was discovered in a part of space that was previously thought to be completely empty’” (par. 3). This shows the absurdity of the mirror because the word “surprising” is ironic. Although it is meant to show the scale of the discovery, in reality, it just emphasizes the fact that the mirror was just used for satirical purposes. The mirror is used by The Onion as a symbol of NASA's lost practicality and glory. At other points throughout the article, irony is used to emphasize this, and it is the irony itself that really is key in showing the problem with NASA. With funding for NASA missions dwindling, the article came at the perfect time. It was meant to ridicule that missing funding, and its use of irony and dubious claims are effective in doing so. Readers are left to think about the problems with NASA's funding and glory today, and The Onion hopes to bring change with that.

TOW #14 - Text

A rather controversial article on Townhall seems to want to debate president John F. Kennedy's real role in the mid 20th century. This essay starts off relevant, posing plausible questions and presenting facts, but after the halfway point starts to go off on a rant. This essays good logos supports its argument well but it tears itself down with is condescending tone in the second half of its argument. Derek Hunter, the author of this article, starts his argument with some well researched facts and historical events. Hunter brings to light the fact that JFK was not sure for reelection and the idea that he was not involved in all of the positives that he is traditionally associated with. These are all well supported facts and historical contexts that are all relevant and support his argument; but in the next few paragraphs Hunter's argument takes a turn for the worst. In the second half of his essay, Hunter begins to use slandering and degrading diction which devalues his argument. He starts to use words that are meant to attack the former president calling him things like, "despicable" and a, "fraud." This type of slanted diction makes Hunter seem biased and ignorant which renders his pervious argument less effective. Not only does he attack the president, he also attacks his family, even criticizing the placement of their final resting places. Hunter also fails to recognize a counterargument; the opinion that JFK was in fact a good president that accomplished many things. Hunter's diction renders his argument completely ineffective and his lack of recognition for the good things the president has done makes him seem ill researched and cynial.