Evaluation of The Shining

The Shining was one of the greatest movies made, in my personal opinion. I can recall watching it for the first time as a 15 year old with my father and brother. It was the first book I ever read by Stephen King, who ended up being one of my favorite authors. In fact, when I took a road trip through Utah and Colorado, I stopped in Estes Park so that I could stay at the Stanley Hotel, which is the Hotel that inspired the book, The Shining. Although the movie deviated quite noticeably from the book, The Shining is one of my favorite movies, and one of Stanley Kubrick’s best movies, as it was a major departure from most horror movies made at the time. Deviating from the normal tropes of most horror movies made before it that relied on external fears, The Shining provides a new and effective internal source of fear in the form of Jack Torrance’s transformation from normal father to insane psychopath; this transformation is associated with a general feeling of dread, created by unique filming techniques, an increasing feeling of isolation, and an undefined border between reality and imagination.

The Shining is a film directed by Stanley Kubrick, which made its theatrical debut in 1980. Based off the 1977 novel of the same name, The Shining tells the story of Jack Torrance, a writer who accepts a caretaker position at the Overlook Hotel, during the hotel’s inactive season in the winter. Jack Torrance takes his wife and son, Wendy and Danny, respectively, with him, and plans on writing while he’s taking care of the hotel. The hotel is closed during the winter months and becomes snowed in during the summer. Over the duration of their stay, Jack Torrance slowly spirals into delusion and becomes increasingly violent. Haunted by visions of the hotel’s past and ghosts who persuade him to kill his family, Jack Torrance attempts to murder his family, who escape, leaving Jack to freeze in the snow. This movie was received fairly well, but has gained critical acclaim in the years following its release, as it did not rely on cheap shock or gore to appeal to its audience.

The Shining was the forerunner of a paradigm shift towards horror movies that placed a greater emphasis on psychological horror and had taken emphasis away from cheap scares. The Shining was filmed around the same time that the Friday the Thirteenth, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween franchises were made. These movies placed a large emphasis on gore and shocking scares, providing very little focus on the psychological elements of horror, which had taken away from the longevity of the fear. The Shining differs from this, because it focuses on psychological horror and the fear maintains over a longer duration of time. This increased longevity of fear and dread that is intimately tied in to psychological horror movies, is a goal that Stanley Kubrick accomplishes, using different filming elements.

The Shining was a fundamental film in establishing a shift from horror movies placing a focus on cheap thrills to horror movies that placed a focus on psychological fear. One element that helped aid this paradigm shift was the filming techniques used by director Stanley Kubrick. Stanley Kubrick focused on creating an environment of discomfort, especially when shooting specific scenes. For example, when shooting the scenes in which Danny is bicycling around the hotel, his route does not make physical sense, according to the layout of the hotel. After making four left turns, Danny would end up in a completely new hallway or room. Although this is never obviously noted while watching the movie, it is mentioned in the extras. The lack of attention drawn to the fact that Danny’s route didn’t make any sense created a feeling of discomfort for the viewers, as it skewed any feeling of direction and stability. Another element that increases the feeling of dread is the use of isolation as a conduit for basic fears. Because the movie takes place in an old hotel over it’s off-season months in the winter, there are very few options for the protagonists to escape. The fact that the protagonists cannot escape the hotel and have very little contact with the world outside of the hotel adds to the audience’s discomfort by evoking a feeling of claustrophobia, which is a common fear among many. This sense of isolation is made increasingly evident throughout the film, as empty hallways and heavy snowfall surrounding the hotel are included in many shots. Isolation also aids in increasing the insanity of Jack Torrance, as he becomes more and more paranoid that his family is conspiring against him and his goal to take care of the hotel. This leads us to our last element that Stanley Kubrick uses to create discomfort and psychological horror: the blurring of the line between reality and imagination. As Jack Torrance becomes increasingly paranoid, he interacts with the previous caretaker of the hotel, who furthers Jack’s distrust toward his family and drives him to try and murder Wendy and Danny. This interaction, although seemingly real, does not take place in the reality that is shared between the three characters; it only exists in Jack’s perceived reality. Multiple visions and interactions with past patrons occur throughout the movie, with the majority of the visions shared between Danny and Jack. The fact that these visions and interactions are never explained and that they occur seamlessly with the reality created in the movie increase the discomfort of the audience and lead to the inability of the audience to discern what is real and what is imaginary.

In conclusion, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a pivotal movie in the psychological horror genre, and provides discomfort and lasting fear that is well sought after in horror movies. Without relying on cheap thrills, Stanley Kubrick has created a lasting and influential film that has proven to be one of the great horror movies of our time. It may be advantageous to further evaluate The Shining on the criteria of the score and the unique scene transitions, as well as the distinct qualities and abilities of Danny, and his relationship with the groundskeeper. However, even without those additional criteria, it is safe to say that The Shining is a strong contribution to the horror movie genre and a powerful horror movie.

Rhetorical Analysis of “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, But Get Rid of Guns”

The ownership of guns has always been a topic of heated debate in the United States. The Second Amendment has been used frequently as a defense for owning guns, however, it is a broad amendment and was written in a very different time. Even conversations regarding the regulation of firearm providers are stifled among the cries for gun ownership, backed by the fear that the government will take away the guns of citizens. Gun owners also have a right to own their firearms, be it for a source of protection, leisure, or hunting. Molly Ivins approaches this hotly-debated topic in her essay, “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, But Get Rid of Guns,” in which she argues her anti-gun stance by using a logical appeal. Ivins’ argument is unique due to her comedic writing style, which she uses to her advantage.

Ivins’ writing style can be described as comedic, as she opens her essay with the line “I am not antigun. I’m proknife,” (Ivins, 2016, p. 273), which is an absurd statement, as the rest of her essay focuses primarily on how unregulated gun ownership is a problem. Ivins’ comedic writing is also utilized to make a point about how the Second Amendment is often interpreted very loosely, because the Second Amendment states that A well-regulated militia may bear arms, to which she states that “Fourteen-year-old boys are not part of a well-regulated militia,” (Ivins, 2016, p. 273). Ivins’ comedic writing is present in almost every point made in her essay. This comedic style of writing is used to make the side against which she is arguing appear absurd.

Ivins’ sense of humor is also evident even in her sentence structure. In her essay, Ivins often utilizes sentence fragments, such as when she is invalidating the argument that guns themselves don’t kill people. Ivins creates a scenario in which a family argument ends in murder, after which she argues, “did the gun kill someone? No. But if there had been no gun, no one would have died. At least not without a good foot race first. Guns do kill,” (Ivins, 2016, p. 274). Ivins is uses multiple sentence fragments as a way of adding emphasis to her point, as she ends her argument with “Guns do kill.”

In conclusion, Ivins’ argument is made with a logical appeal, as she dismantles previous arguments that are pro gun ownership. Ivins’ sense of humor is used to further ridicule the side against which she is arguing, and her use of sentence fragments also emphasize her points while adding to her comedic flow of writing. Ivins’ purpose is to argue for gun control, and she uses her wit and sense of humor to further support her argument logically.

 

Reference:

Ivins, Molly. “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, But Get Rid of Guns.” The Little Norton Reader: 50 Essays from the first 50 Years. Edited by Melissa Goldthwaite, W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 272-274.

Rhetorical Analysis of “Social Justice Syndrome”

Throughout the past few years, the millennial generation has become increasing involved in politics, regularly voicing opinions on social politics. This activism has mostly been in the form of marches and protests, as the ‘social justice warriors’ of the millennial generation gather to show support for perceived persecution of certain social groups. These protests and marches have seemed to grow in frequency over the past year, as identity politics have become a primary platform for the Democratic Party, and since Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States. In his blog article “Social Justice Syndrome: ‘Rising Tide of Personality Disorders Among Millennials’,” author Ewan Morrison describes the activity of the ‘social justice warrior’ and compares it to known personality disorders. Morrison’s argument is strengthened by use of tone, referenced support, and multiple comparisons.

Morrison’s tone throughout his article “Social Justice Syndrome” may be defined as critical and logical, as he uses a logical appeal to develop and strengthen his argument. Morrison uses expressions such as “When they were pushed out of their parental homes in the 2010s, they discovered they did not have the tools to construct stable selves” (Morrison, 2017), which put forth a tone of criticism alongside his argument explaining that millennials have a hypersensitive response to their surroundings and are quick to react negatively to their perception of social injustice. Although Morrison’s tone is critical, it is logical, as he uses many examples to back up his argument.

Morrison’s argument relating “social justice warriors” to personality disorders is supported frequently with quotes and references from events and references. This is a method used by Morrison to validate his argument and helps him appeal to logic. Morrison’s use of references extends from the riots at UC Berkley to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Morrison, 2017). Morrison’s use of events and findings present a broad spectrum of logical support and help strengthen his argument.

Lastly, Morrison uses comparisons to build his argument. Morrison’s argument that “social justice warriors” are a result of progressive parenting and really just expressions of personality disorders is built upon his use of comparisons. Morrison describes different behaviors presented by millennials and draws a parallel between the behavior exhibited by the millennials to behavior exhibited by those who suffer from personality disorders. This is the foundation of his argument and is presented in a logical manner.

In conclusion, Morrison uses a critical tone, references supporting events and quotations, and draws comparisons between personality disorders and millennial behaviors to present a logical argument. Each of these strengthens Morrison’s argument and appeals to a logical argument style. Although one may disagree with his argument, Morrison’s use of logical appeal forms a sturdy argument style.

 

 

Reference:

Morrison, Ewan. “Social Justice Syndrome: ‘Rising Tide of Personality Disorders Among Millenials’.” PJ Media, 6 March, 2017. URL: https://pjmedia.com/blog/social-justice-syndrome-rising-tide-of-personality-disorders-among-millenials/

Healthcare in America

There are many problems in this country that require complex solutions, which may not be reached at any time in the near future. I consider health care coverage to fall under this category. Health care in the United States has presented many issues, as well as widens the rift between the democrats and the republicans. Three very real issues caused by the lack of affordable healthcare in the United States are continuing abuse of emergency hospital services, the further divide of wealth between the lowest class and the highest class, and poor mental health coverage. I believe that health care should be universal within the United States, and, although this paper is not going to provide any solutions or options as to how this may happen, it presents an argument as to why universal healthcare is necessary in this nation.

One problem that has occurred due to lack of health insurance coverage in the United States is the overuse of emergency services. As an EMT, I have brought many people in the emergency room. Luckily, where I volunteer, as long as the patient lives within the county, they are not charged for the ambulance ride. However, their status as residents of a certain community does not protect them from hospital fees, many of which may be covered by the patient’s health insurance. The problem with lack of coverage arises when people who are uninsured refuse to get care for an ailment due to their lack of insurance. Without health insurance, one may pay excessive amounts of money for their medical bills. Three examples given by the CDC are up to $7,500 for a broken leg, around $30,000 for a 3-day hospital stay, and hundreds of thousands of dollars for comprehensive cancer care (“Protection from high medical costs”). Such high prices may deter people without health insurance from going to the hospital for certain ailments, which then may cause their condition to worsen. Without lack of proper medical care, their condition will progress until they feel that they require immediate medical attention, and they present to the emergency room. With proper preventative care or early care, their condition may have been controlled, but due to their lack of coverage, they end up spending more on an ailment that could have been controlled or alleviated much sooner. They may also not have preventative care, such as a primary care physician, due to lack of health coverage, which may cause the uninsured patient to present to the emergency room multiple times for the same ailment, and thereby take up more resources that could be reserved for true emergent situations. In both situations, the uninsured patient will be paying excessive amounts of money, and using up important resources at the emergency room.

The second issue that I would like to discuss is the further division of the wealthy and the poor caused by lack of health coverage in the United States. Those without health insurance tend to be persons and families of lower socioeconomic status, whereas most persons and families of high socioeconomic status are covered by private health insurance or Medicare, if they are over the age of 65. According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, “in the general population, persons without health insurance have a higher mortality rate than persons with private insurance,” (Baker et al., 2001). Such discrepancies between the insured and the uninsured are common, and the uninsured may be treated more poorly than the insured. In fact, the uninsured may not be able to receive certain medical care due to their lack of health insurance, as certain facilities will not accept them as patients. Because the lower class cannot afford the same medical care and procedures that the upper class may afford, there exists a very real discrepancy of care between the two classes, which would not exist if the lower class had health insurance.

The last issue that is exacerbated by lack of healthcare is poor access to mental healthcare. Mental healthcare is a constant need in our society, and it is also one of the most overlooked fields of medicine. In my experience transporting mental health patients in between mental health facilities and hospitals, I have been told many times that the patient can not be accepted at certain facilities or given certain medications due to lack of healthcare coverage. In fact, although plenty of patients may be able to receive some form of counseling despite their health insurance status, many are not able to afford their medications, which are necessary to subdue mental health conditions, and usually must be taken on a regular basis. One article in Health Services Research found that out of their sample containing insured and uninsured subjects, when compared to the insured subjects, “the uninsured have the most problems with access and quality of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health care,” (Wells, Sherbourne, Sturm, Young, & Burnam, 2002). This article reports that those who are uninsured report less access to care than those who are insured, as well as care that is of lower quality. In providing lower quality care or no care to mental health patients due to their lack of insurance, their problem will likely remain unchanged and their quality of life will diminish. Another article that was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the rate of unmet need for mental health services was greater among uninsured children than publically insured children (Kataoka, Zhang, & Wells, 2002). Although correlation and causation are not the same, this fact does present some alarming implications, the most critical being that children may not be undergoing proper mental health care due to lack of insurance coverage. Because the children’s lack of insurance stems from their parents’ lack of insurance, it is possible that the child’s condition will remain unchanged and potentially worsen. Thus, even children are susceptible to problems arising from lack of health insurance, especially in the field of mental health, as some symptoms of mental health diseases may start to appear at an early age. This terrifying situation may be remediated if the child’s parents had access to proper healthcare.

In conclusion, discrepancies among healthcare present many problems in the United States. The examples of such problems that I have presented, continuing abuse of emergency hospital services, the further divide of wealth between the lowest class and the highest class, and poor mental health coverage, cause even greater issues in the field of medicine. The abuse of emergency hospital services takes up resources and time in the emergency department for ailments that may have been preventable, as well as cost the patient a large expense in terms of money and proper care. Lack of universal healthcare also creates a greater rift between the rich and the poor. Those who may afford healthcare tend to live longer and healthier lives, whereas those who may not be able to afford healthcare tend to have a higher mortality rate. It is also common for patients who have decent healthcare coverage to be treated better than those without healthcare coverage. Lastly, mental health problems may go unchecked due to lack of insurance. All of these issues may be solved with universal healthcare. One method of universal healthcare, proposed by the economist Laurence Kotlikoff, is to provide annual health insurance vouchers, basing the amount on the current medical condition of the patient. This system would entice doctors to accept patients with pre-existing conditions, because the patient’s voucher would pay more than that of a patient with little medical history (Kotlikoff, 2007). Although this example may have some flaws, it is only one method and does provide a process by which everyone could be insured. With universal health care, every citizen would not have to worry about abusing emergency medical services, as they would have more specialized resources, nor would they have to worry about a class division, as members of every socioeconomic class would have health insurance. It is also probable that with universal health care, there would be less fear about treating a mental health illness due to lack of proper coverage, as mental healthcare would be covered. I believe that universal health care is a promising option to better the medical system in the United States, and could solve all of the problems presented above.

 

References:

“Protection From High Medical Costs.” Healthcare.gov, No Date, https://www.healthcare.gov/why-coverage-is-important/protection-from-high-medical-costs/

 

Baker, David W., et al. “Lack of health insurance and decline in overall health in late middle age.” New England Journal of Medicine 345.15 (2001): 1106-1112.

 

Wells, K. B., Sherbourne, C. D., Sturm, R., Young, A. S., & Burnam, M. A. “Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Care for Uninsured and Insured Adults.” Health Services Research 37.4 (2002): 1055–1066. PMC. Web. 3 July 2017.

 

Kataoka, Sheryl H., Lily Zhang, and Kenneth B. Wells. “Unmet need for mental health care among US children: Variation by ethnicity and insurance status.” American Journal of Psychiatry 159.9 (2002): 1548-1555.

 

Kotlikoff, Laurence J. “The healthcare fix: Universal insurance for all Americans.” MIT Press Books 1 (2007).

 

 

Rhetorical Analysis of “Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?”

Since the dawn of computers and the internet, people have been searching for more ways to stay in touch with each other. As a millennial, I have witnessed the evolution of social media, and the birth of global social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Regardless of the intentions of these social media websites, they have all affected their users in one specific way: they have gotten rid of the barrier to communication due to distance. But has the ability to easily contact each other by means of social media made its users more or less sociable? This question is debated by Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, and Keith Hampton, a professor of Communication and Public Policy at Rutger’s University’s School of Communication and Information in the essay “Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?”

Rosen argues that technology is, in fact, making people less sociable. Rosen presents an argument with ethical appeal, referencing his experience of “[studying] the impact of technology for 30 years” (“Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?”, 2015) in the introduction of his argument. Rosen builds his argument around two issues: communication in the virtual world has increased while real world communications have decreased, and that, although we may be communicating with more people due to social media, we seem to be losing opportunities for connection that only seem to present in real life interactions (“Is Technology …”, 2015). Rosen backs each issue up with reference to scientific studies, which further validates his ethical appeal to the reader, as it alludes to his scientific expertise as well as reinforces his understanding of the issue.

Opposing Rosen is Hampton, who argues that relationships are being enhanced by technology. Hampton begins his argument using humor while relating the present thoughts on technology to the belief in 1909 that “morning delivery of the newspaper was undermining the American family” (“Is Technology…”, 2015). Hampton also presents his argument with an ethical appeal, using his position as a professor of communications and presenting a study he had performed, in order to show that technology has improved relationships. Hampton presents the argument that technology has a negative effect on personal interaction, then dismisses it by presenting a barrage of benefits provided to us by use of technology.

In conclusion, both professors present an ethical appeal while expressing opposing arguments on the effect that technology has on relationships. Both professors use studies to support their points of view, although Rosen and Hampton differ on their argument methods, as Rosen tends to rely on outside studies, whereas Hampton relies slightly on humor and history. I believe that both professors present a logical and persuasive argument, with ample support on either side.

 

Reference:

 

:Is Technology Making People Less Sociable?” Wall Street Jounral, 10 May, 2015. https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-technology-making-people-less-sociable-1431093491 accessed on 06/22/2017.

Happy Campers

The sunset produced a mosaic of vivid colors with no indistinguishable boundaries that clashed with the rigid skyline created by the red and orange rock formations. My four-and-a-half hour drive from Bryce Canyon National Park, which was marked by similar rock formations, was interrupted by frequent pit stops to stretch my legs and take landscape pictures. My drive was now coming to an end.

I approached the campsite with hope, mixed with almost immeasurable anxiety; the kind of anxiety one feels when they pass a deer standing by the side of the road at night. This was my third stop on a two-week tour of Utah national parks, and I had been lucky enough to find a vacant campsite at Zion National Park as well as Bryce. However, it was getting late and there had been a number of cars ahead of me, which had made me uneasy. I entered the campground and followed the almost figure-eight-shaped road that was saturated with campsites, most of which were occupied. As I passed the sites, all littered with cars and tents, my hope seemed to fade as the subtle anxiety filled its place. It was on my second loop that I noticed a man at site 47, place his belongings into a white Ford Bronco. I pulled over long enough to watch the taillights of his car pull through the campsite entrance. “Yes!”, I exclaimed aloud to myself, as I backed into the vacant site 47. I had developed the sad habit of talking to myself over the prior week. It’s funny how quickly certain strange quirks, such as talking to oneself, become normal when traveling alone.

Site 47 was back in the corner of the campground, somewhat distant from the others. It was on a plot of land that was shared by sites 44, 45, and 46, and even with those sites occupied by tents, there was a strange solitude to site 47. There was a single tree, a picnic table, a charcoal grill, and a fence that separated the site from the surrounding rock formations. After setting up my backpacking tent, which was barely big enough for one person, I sat on the picnic table and began reading Bram Stoker’s classic, Dracula. Reading had become an almost automatic function at this time of day, as the sun was setting with enough light for reading, yet not enough light to begin a hike.

My reading was abruptly interrupted by an indistinct yell coming from the figure-eight road. Surprised, I looked up towards the road to see a black Toyota RAV4, followed by a blue Honda CRV. Both cars had all windows down, and appeared to be filled with people, most of who were staring at me. The stranger in the passenger seat of the RAV4 motioned for me to come over to the car with his hand in a manner that indicates familiarity. Although this situation was suspicious and could be troubling in most other circumstances, my curiosity was piqued. There was a sense of safety in the campground environment. Asking neighboring campsites for help or information about trails had become a regular experience over the previous week. I put down my book and cautiously approached the RAV4.

“Hey, man! My name’s Louis. My buddies and I are looking for a campsite, but they’re all full,” said the stranger in the passenger side of the RAV4. Louis, whose accent I could not quite figure out, spoke with a sense of familiarity similar to that of a longtime friend. Louis followed up with a question, “Is there any chance my friends and I could stay on your campsite?” I took a look at the campsite. My tent only took up a small portion of the site, and there was room enough for at least four more tents to fit comfortably, and although I did not quite care for the feeling of sharing a site with a group of strangers, I understood their predicament and thought of what response I would want if I were in their shoes. “Sure thing,” I replied.

I had retreated back to my tent to continue to read Dracula by lamplight. About an hour had passed before I heard whispered voices growing louder in the direction of my tent entrance. Suddenly, I heard a friendly tap on the tent fabric, followed by a familiar voice. “Hey, friend, we’re making dinner. Spaghetti. Would you like to join us?” I stepped outside to see Louis and one of his friends standing outside my tent. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast that day, and the thought of spaghetti seemed to immediately remind me of the fact. I agreed, and followed them over to their tent.

Their tent was capable of holding twelve average-sized campers, and featured a stuffed unicorn above the door. There were six people huddled around the picnic table I had previously occupied, all of whom appeared to be in their mid to young twenties. The driver of the CRV stood at the charcoal grill, attending to a large pot. There were nine of them in total, and they all were quick to make introductions. I learned very quickly that they were all geology graduate students from Switzerland, on their way to collect rock samples in Moab, UT. Allen, formerly a passenger of the CRV, gave me his seat at the picnic table after much insistence on his part, then offered me a beer from the cooler that doubled as his new seat. Throughout the dinner, I was asked plenty of questions about life in America, each one followed by stares of wonder and curiosity.

The rest of the night flew by in what felt like a matter of minutes. After we all cleaned our plates, my new friends offered me drinks and persuaded me to join them in conversation. Throughout the multiple conversations that ensued, not once did I feel like an unwanted visitor. I was included in every conversation, and we had all been given opportunities to share views and experiences. Conversation continued until 4 in the morning, when we all decided to call it a night. Louis asked for my address, as they wanted to stay in touch, and they were all heading to Moab the following day. After goodbyes and plenty of hugs, we all headed back to our respective tents.

Four months later, on a Monday, I returned home, late from work. A package sat beside my front door, marked with an address I could not recognize. I opened the box to find Swiss chocolate, $20, and a note:

“Thanks for sharing your campsite, friend. Included is $40. $20 for the campsite, and an additional $20 for your generosity. We will always remember our first night at Capitol Reef.

Yours truly,

Your Swiss Friends.”

Rhetorical Analysis: Shooting an Elephant

In George Orwell’s autobiographical essay “Shooting An Elephant,” he describes his experience as a British sub-divisional police officer stationed in Burma during its colonization by the British. Specifically, Orwell describes an event in which he dealt with a runaway elephant that was wreaking havoc on his territory, and concludes with his decision to shoot the elephant. However, Orwell’s essay is not only a personal narrative of a specific event in his past, but also a critique of imperialism. Orwell uses an ethological appeal and anecdotal evidence to support his claim that imperialism causes harm not only to the native people being oppressed, but also the oppressors, and produces poor leadership.

Orwell uses an ethological appeal through position as British police officer stationed in lower Burma to argue that the relationship between the natives of Burma and the British colonizers was very strained and poorly controlled. He cites personal experiences of harassment by the locals, including being “an obvious target” (23) while playing soccer with the locals and being met with sneers and insults while walking through the streets, the worst of which, came from several Buddhist Priests (23). Despite this harassment experienced by Orwell, he states that he “hated his job” (23) and that “imperialism was an evil thing” (23), perhaps eluding to the belief that if not for imperialism, he would not be met with such negativity. Despite his authority in the British imperialism movement, he harbors feelings of hate for the “evil” that is imperialism.

Orwell uses his experience in deciding whether or not to shoot the runaway elephant as an example of the futility of imperialism. After deciding not to shoot the elephant after finding it “peacefully eating” (26) in a field, Orwell is quickly met with conflict after noticing that he was surrounded by a crowd of local people who were “excited…[and] all certain that the elephant was going to be shot” (27). Orwell decides then to shoot the elephant, despite his previous conclusion, arguing that he was only a “puppet pushed to and fro” (27) by the expectations of the locals. Although he is acting as an authoritative figure, he is faced with the realization that his leadership, a microcosm of the oppressive British rule, is a façade.

In conclusion, Orwell’s use of his experience as a British police officer, along with his anecdotal evidence in solving a simple problem, strengthens his claim that British imperialism is futile. Orwell cites his regular harassment by the locals to display tensions between the British and the locals in imperialism, and his inability to perform a proper task to display the fickle rule of colonizing nations.

 

Works Cited

Orwell, George. “Shooting An Elephant.” The Little Norton Reader: 50 Essays from the first 50 Years. Edited by Melissa Goldthwaite, W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, pp. 22-31.

Rhetorical Analysis: Superman and Me

Throughout modern civilization, reading has been practiced with the belief that it is the gateway to education. The necessity of literacy in higher education, and even a basic early education, is noted in most classrooms today. In fact, most employers even consider literacy to be a mandatory skill for most applicants, as it is assumed that most adults in this day and age can read efficiently. Even in my personal experience, my parents and teachers have advocated reading. From early recitations of “See Spot Run” in kindergarten, to the nightly ritual of the bedtime story, reading has been strongly emphasized in my childhood. I have memories of my father taking me to bookstores and libraries as a child, encouraging me to find a book that will inspire my imagination, as well as increase my reading proficiency. Despite the fact that my history is very different than that of author Sherman Alexie, in his essay “Superman and Me,” Alexie describes the importance of reading that we both hold dear. This is evident in his examples, as well as his style.

Alexie begins his essay with an anecdote about his introduction to reading, as he learned to read through a mixture of Superman comics and his father’s books (Alexie, 1997), and quickly transitions to the thesis of his essay: reading is a crucial skill for success. This is made evident by Alexie’s argument that reading was a way of “saving [his] life” (Alexie, 1997, p. 326). Throughout his essay, Alexie juxtaposes his experience as a Native American student with a thirst for knowledge, with the expectations of most Native American students, who were expected by society to not have an interest in education. The difference that Alexie drew between him and the expectations of Native American students was that Alexie had an almost obsessive interest in reading, which helped him “save his life” and become a successful author. The author continues to compare his experience as a reader to the expectations that are set from him, stating that he was an “Indian [child] who [was] expected to be stupid” (Alexie, 1997, p. 326) in the classroom. Alexie argues that by reading “anything that had words and paragraphs,” and cultivating an interest in literacy, he was “[refusing] to fail” (Alexie, 1997, p. 326). Alexie’s style also attempts to persuade the reader to agree with the importance of reading.

With mostly anecdotal evidence, Alexie seems to be using an ethical mode of appeal. As stated previously, the author repeatedly uses the saying “trying to save my life” while referring to his reading habits. This repetition is used to provide emphasis on the importance of reading, as well as to reinforce his thesis. Repetition is also found in the eighth paragraph, in which Alexie begins almost every sentence with the combination, “I read…” (Alexie, 1997, p. 326). This use of anaphora is important because it is another attempt to emphasize his experiences reading, and the overall importance that he places on the act of reading to succeed. Alexie views reading not only as a form of leisure, but also as a way out of a life devoid of purpose. Alexie’s use of simple sentences in this same paragraph also appeals to a general audience, without alienating poor readers.

Alexie ends his essay with an experience as a teacher, traveling to reservations, and attempting to appeal to students who are uninterested in reading, stating that he is “trying to save our lives” (Alexie, 1997, p. 327). This cyclical event does not strengthen his argument of the importance of reading, but it does suggest his personal interest in reading as a means to succeed. Alexie does conclude the essay with a persistent thesis, although he lacks evidence outside of personal experiences. His use of repetition, anaphora, and simple sentences seems to appeal to a large audience base, which is fitting for his argument of the importance of reading. By including all readers with his simple style of writing, he is not alienating any poor readers, for whom the essay may be important. In conclusion, I believe that Alexie formed a comprehensive, ethical argument, through his use of anecdotal evidence and simple, informal style.

 

 

References:

 

Alexie, Sherman. (1997) “Superman and Me.” The Little Norton Reader, First edition, Melissa A. Goldthwaite. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2016, pp. 323-327

First blog post

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