Tow #19- The New Yorker/ "The Naked Face"/ Malcolm Gladwell

Reading Goal: Identify Gladwell's purpose correctly and find more than 2 rhetorical strategies

Writing Goal: Thorough analysis and clear topic sentences; write TOW like an actual analysis essay

Some people seem exceptionally good at reading other peoples' emotions and/or figuring out what another person is thinking. Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, the person behind books such as Outliers, uses the stories of famous psychologist Paul Ekman and others gifted with the ability to "read people well" to argue that people can be naturally born with this ability, gradually develop it, or learn it purposefully later on. In his 2002 essay, "The Naked Face", Gladwell suggests that there could be more to this skill than what meets the eye through complex appeals to logos, pathos, ethos. 

All of Gladwell's argument, but specifically his appeal to logos, is fueled by well-structured inductive and deductive reasoning. To form this reasoning, he uses many personal accounts, primarily those of Paul Ekman and police officers John Yarbrough and Bob Harms. The research Ekman has done on the topic of emotions and facial expressions included in the essay makes Gladwell's argument logical and well-researched, and very arguable. It is difficult for readers to prove Gladwell wrong when he provides logical, well-defended point after logical, well-defended point. Statistics make Ekman's evidence hard to deny, and contribute to Gladwell's appeal to logos. For example, when explains how he learned to tell if someone was lying through studying facial muscles and emotions, and then describes how he predicted Clinton's bad behavior after first seeing him on TV, these testimonies give weight and proof to Gladwell's logic-based argument. His use of personal accounts also makes his argument seem personal to his audience, appealing to ethos as well as logos.

One of the more powerful elements of Gladwell's argument is how he appeals to ethos. Besides personal accounts, Gladwell masterfully acknowledges his audience by using friendly personal pronouns like "we", "you", "he", "I", and "us". Writing through these pronouns, especially "I", gives Gladwell credibility as a writer and adds credibility to his accounts because of his active involvement. Since he explains what he learned about facial expressions first hand, readers can understand his argument more thoroughly and become more personally involved themselves. His argument makes people think about their own lives also because of rhetorical questions. Gladwell end paragraphs and often transitions with rhetorical questions, which cause readers to think and sometimes are somewhat suspenseful and more interesting during the long essay. Appeals to ethos are important when considering the topic, emotions, as are appeals to pathos.

Many good arguments have appeals to logos and ethos, but Gladwell also accomplishes appeals to pathos through the use of imagery. As the introduction to very personal account and point in his argument, as well as introductions of his interviewees, Gladwell paints a picture of the "characters" and setting with physical descriptions and personal impressions. This is critical for an argument about facial expressions and emotions, because the reader gets to know the emotions and expressions of the people who are making the argument, and this helps to prove why emotions are so important and mean more than many people think.

Malcolm Gladwell's essay "The Naked Face" debates the relatively new idea that people can control and/or easily learn how to read other peoples' emotions through detailed appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. Psychologist Paul Ekman and others help provide the reasoning and evidence Gladwell needs to support his essay. Gladwell's argument helps deny the idea that only some people are uniquely gifted with this ability, and explains how it could be potentially very important in society. 

Gladwell, Malcolm. "The Naked Face." Malcolm Gladwell. The New Yorker, 2002. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. 

Tow #18 (Visual Text)- Gum Advertisement/ "Orbit for Kids" Gum/ Food Network Magazine

Almost no one actually likes going to the dentist, particularly not kids. But many people enjoy gum, chewing it any time of day and almost anywhere. Bubble gum specifically is entertaining for kids to chew. So when Orbit created their "Orbit for Kids" gum, which is supposed to help protect teeth, they made sure to market it towards parents, not kids. With its creative diagrams of a hand holding the pack while showing the “helps protect teeth” label, and a hand with the thumb covering this label, the company acknowledges the benefits of keeping this information away from kids and also uses humor to appeal to pathos. These appeals to pathos also appeal to ethos, combining with the gum’s plainly visible American Dental Association (ADA) Acceptance in the bottom left corner of the advertisement. This credibility is enhanced by the ADA’s factual, informative description of the gum’s hygiene benefits. Their logical statement, “If kids knew orbit for Kids was accepted by the American Dental Association, they might not want to chew it” parallels their previous statement “Don’t let them know it’s good for them”, and clearly explains the company’s argument/purpose, to appeal to parents with a healthy gum that kids will love to chew. The ad also is made up of the fun, bright colors that accompany every pack of Orbit gum and also make a statement in the middle of a magazine filled with bright, “home-y”, but sometimes repetitive colors. The advertisement finishes with the gum’s website, which allows the advertisement to be both accessible and informative online/ in a variety of methods of entertainment. The ad will reach more people, and logically markets itself in a technology-centered atmosphere. When the gum is both beneficial to their kids for entertainment/enjoyment and health reasons, parents are more likely to purchase and allow their kids to chew gum. And maybe, after some time, their kids’ teeth will have improved in the process.  Maybe going to the dentist won’t be as bad. 

http://media.dentalcompare.com/m/25/Article/139494-400x300.jpg

IRB #3 Introduction Post

Outliers: The Story of Success

By Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers is a national best-seller that explores how people become successful. Instead of thinking about WHO is famous, Malcolm Gladwell considers looking at why people are famous- what they've done, where and how they grew up, their surroundings, and what the most famous people all have in common that contributes to their success. The book is divided into an introduction, two parts, and an epilogue, each section focused on a specific aspect of success. It's somewhat psychological, but also entertaining and somewhat science-based. 

I chose this book because it is completely different from any other book I've read for an IRB so far. I tend to lean towards history when I read non-fiction, and I don't really read a lot of non-fiction outside of school anyway. This book has also been recommended to me by many friends of mine, and I am generally willing to try a variety of genres as long as I know that the book is good. Also, the book resembles a series of stories at times, which is what I enjoyed about the "Best Essays" book I read this summer and the memoir I read last marking period. I'm also a fan of learning interesting trivia when reading, and Outliers seems like it will include this as an added "bonus". I'm excited to start reading this, and I think it will definitely be unique compared to the fiction I normally spend my time reading. 

Tow #17- Best Life Magazine Article/ "Plastic Ocean"/ Susan Casey

What happens to all the things we throw out? And more importantly, what happens to all the things we think we throw out? Not what most would think- large quantities of trash, particularly plastic, end up in the world's oceans. In her 2007 article, "Plastic Ocean", writer Susan Casey brings to attention environmental issues associated with recycling, trash, animal life, and the future of our planet as an attempt to inspire readers to make a change in what they throw out and "recycle". She does this through the use of exemplification, appeals to logos, and personal anecdotes.

In the beginning of her article, Casey introduces a sea captain named Charles Moore with a passion for saving the planet and cleaning up trash. Her anecdotes on his life and experiences around the world's oceans, in California, and in the North Pacific Subtropical gyre, or "Eastern Garbage Patch" introduce readers to the concerns of the article. This area of ocean is one of about 5 that contain unheard of amounts of trash, resembling seas of garbage. All in all, these areas make up 1/4 of our planet's surface. Moore's in this tragic area grab the readers' attention from the beginning and then mix with statistics to make a very thorough, almost inspiring article.

While the statistics mix with Moore's examples and anecdotes, they also provide information about why all the trash and plastic in the gyre are a problem- for our health, the earth' health, and animals' health. Casey gives a detailed overview of what many of the plastics in production today can do to our health, as carcinogens and resource-wasters. She urges readers to think about the amount of trash they throw out, and educates them on what really gets recycled from what they put in the recycling bin. By the end, Casey;s article turns from entertaining to educating and becomes, if possible, even more serious. Casey establishes her credibility as a writer and fellow human being on planet Earth while educating and inspiring people to care about what they put in the trash can at the same time, arguing, if "our oceans are turning to plastic, are we"?

Casey, Susan. "Plastic Ocean." Love for Life. Best Life Magazine, 20 Feb. 2007. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.

Tow #16- IRB/ "The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese"/ Paterniti

To some, the greatest nonfiction pieces are the ones that don't seem like nonfiction reports, but like other genres. Nonfiction's negative connotation makes it unappealing to some, and any time it can be made more fictional, the better. Michael Paterniti' memoir The Telling Room is one of these books that becomes more fictional, though in reality, it's nonfiction.

Paterniti does this throughout the book, but especially later on, through the use of footnotes. From the start, the footnotes offer historical background, the author's opinions, and any other information that doesn't need to be included in the actual text of the memoir. But as the story of Paterniti and the cheese unfolds further, the footnotes become the more nonfiction aspect of the book, and the official text more a retelling of the cheese-maker, Ambrosio's, story. Paterniti's writing also becomes very descriptive as he begins to share Ambrosio's tale. Previously in the book, the Paterniti uses descriptions to characterize himself and other people in the memoir; later, he uses it to explain his characterization and development of the setting, as if he left parts out and is making the story clearer. It has an interesting effect, and makes for a definite transition in the story between dialogue and Paterniti's thoughts.

Over all, the book has a somewhat dramatic, whimsical feel, as if the author simply wants to entertain his readers. However, there are also moments when he shares what he has learned, maybe with the hope he can convey this knowledge to others and make his writing mean something. It makes an otherwise fun and "non-serious" memoir become more professional and is a credit to Paterniti as a writer because of how it creates a tone of importance. Maybe the readers are meant to feel like they've done something both enjoyable and thought-provoking with their time by reading this book. Whatever the reason, The Telling Room is more than just a nonfiction book- it is the story of part of someone's life, and makes its readers feel connected to the story. While it talks about an experience, it is an experience in an of itself.

Tow #15- Discover Magazine Article/"The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race"/Jared Diamond

When most people think of the first humans, they think of cavemen who eat wild buffalo and shelter in caves during the ice age, barely surviving through the invention of fire. Today, we as a species are grateful not to be the first humans, to have everything essential to survival basically figured out for us, in many cases. Jared Diamond's historically-based essay, "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race" shares these ideas, but proposes that the first humans really weren't worse off as hunter-gatherers- they became worse off when they switched to farming, trading "quality for quantity". Diamond does this through appeals to logos and exemplification, making for a very scientific essay on how farming has ruined the healthy societies of the cavemen.

Right from the beginning, the author uses both appeals to logos and exemplification, along with general history, to explain how important and long-lasting the time of the hunter-gatherers was. He also begins to introduce how problems started with the addition of farming into humans' lives, and the gradual removal of hunting and gathering. Diamond uses a variety of examples, from Chilean mummies to ancient Greeks and Turks to examine the differences in height, age, disease, and population over the years agriculture has become popular around the world. He makes the point that farming may be able to support more people, but at a lower standard of living. Other statistics, along with current examples of hunter-gatherer societies show how even today, hunting and gathering is still healthy and profitable. Diamond keeps the essay serious, but thought-provoking, so that a variety of audiences can understand it, but still maintain historical background. The essay almost takes on a bias, making farming seem very negative while praising hunting and gathering profusely as the method of survival that should of stayed around.

Diamond, Jared. "The Worst Mistake in the History Ofthe Human Race." The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race. Discover Magazine, n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.

Tow #14- The Atlantic Article/ "How Headphones Changed the World"/ Derek Thompson

Almost everyone likes music, and there are many types of music from which to choose. But probably one of the most important things about music is that it can be personal, unique, and create the kind of loneliness people like. According to journalist Derek Thompson in his article "How Headphones Changed the World", music, and by association, headphones, do all these things and more. They make music and other entertainment something people can do privately without needing friends for dancing, and they help people to relax, focus, and think clearly. Thompson argues that there are pros and cons to headphones' ability to enclose a person in their own little world, but regardless, that headphones have influenced everyone and the global culture of the world.

Thompson works to prove his point right from the start by comparing the pros and cons to listening to music in various situations. He argues that while music can be distracting or take away from productivity, it is more beneficial in the long run. He also employs the opinions of other famous journalists and writers when making his points about headphones and music in world society. This appeal to logos provides an appeal to ethos and makes the article both more credible and factual, which contrasts and supports the appeal to pathos that the author can create just be mentioning and simply describing music. Overall, however, exemplification is the backbone to Thompson's argument. Whether he is making an appeal to logos, pathos, or ethos, using imagery, or juxtaposing pros and cons, an example almost always follows, most of the time taking the form of a quote from one of his contemporaries or as detailed background on the first headphones or cultural life after the invention of headphones in the 20th century, for the Navy. Since Thompson laces his argument with this information, readers can't help learning something or becoming interested in something while reading the article.

Thompson, Derek. "How Headphones Changed the World." The Atlantic. The Atlantic, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2014.