Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Style
Try applying what we've been learning about rhetorical strategies to your free choice reading book: Analyze the author's style of writing. What appeals do you notice (logos, ethos, pathos)? What rhetorical devices is the author using (diction, syntax, imagery, analogy, etc.)? Provide specific examples to illustrate your point. This post will help your classmates decide if it's a style that they enjoy reading.
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They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky
ReplyDeleteAlright, here’s my (hopefully) successful attempt at analyzing the style of writing used in this novel. Right off the bat, I just want to inform future readers that this book has a “Poisonwood Bible-type” of narration. There are three main authors and they each take turns recounting their experiences.
The neat aspect about this book is that the authors are “growing up” as the book progresses. By the end, each author can recall more about events because they are a lot older than when they started their journey across Africa (all of them were younger than 10 years old). Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin all use the technique of onomatopoeia, which means the sounds are written out the way they are heard. An example, “The month before the attack when Benson disappeared and Achol was killed, the wella wella wella of the helicopter propellers brought us out of our houses.” It adds to the writing styles of each author.
All three authors use Pathos effectively to unveil how devastated a family is when they are torn apart through warfare. I was horrified many times during the book due to the fact that these boys were too young to even know what was actually taking place around them. “We’d never handled guns so when we saw a person handle it and it went band, we knew that thing killed. We called it the harmful stick. We learned quickly that if somebody points the stick at you, you die.” Such a simple yet scary explanation of a harmful weapon, the book is filled with explanations of life through the eyes of young innocent boys.
There are a lot of metaphors that compare Dinka interpretation of life and technology. Before the war, many of the villagers had never actually seen cars, airplanes that dropped bombs, and grenades. “No one is safe here. They want to pour fire on us from the sky”. This quote was the line that gave the book its title. Also, imagery is something that each author utilizes. The reader feels like they are walking right alongside the main characters. The intricate way the authors incorporate small similes and epiphanies as they carry onwards makes the book all the more personal and powerful.
Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything
ReplyDeleteThe “Style” Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
I will start off by saying Wow Kamil! Those are a lot of facts! You are a very hard act to follow! But on to the book. In my not so professional opinion Bryson did not include many examples of pathos throughout his novel. In fact I am about ¾ of the way done with the book and I don’t think it would be a stretch to say I haven’t read one example of pathos. That is unless astonishment counts, in which case pathos is on every page. However, despite the apparent lack of pathos in his novel Bryson use excessive illusions to ethos and logos. Bryson appeals to these by demonstrating his theories through examples and facts, thus appealing to the more logical side of the reader’s thought process. (ex1: “The speed of the Earth’s spin varies from a little over 1,000 miles per hour at the equator to zero at the poles.”) Provides the reader with some interesting facts that they may or not have ever realized or thought about. (ex2: “After the big bang, scientists project that the universe doubled in size every 10^-34- that’s one million million million million millionths of a second.) It is just incredible that they can actual figure things like this out!
Freakonomics
ReplyDeleteEthos, Pathos, Logos
As I read Freakonomics I did not find much evidence of pathos, but I did find plenty of ethos and logos. Even though Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner do not reveal much emotion (pathos) when they write, they illustrate more logic and credibility through their arguments. They dig deep in the subject matter to find what runs the society and the economy. Through their investigation, they found that incentives are what make the “world go ‘round.”
Levitt and Dubner establish ethos by conveying credibility in their sources. With statistical information given, Levitt and Dubner tell the reader where they got their source (and it usually is a pretty credible source.) For example, when Levitt and Dubner compared schoolteachers to sumo wrestlers, they pulled test scores from the Chicago Public School system. They compare the scores of two different classrooms where one teacher cheats and changes some of the students’ answers. The authors explain that when the students do well, the teachers get a pay raise (an incentive to cheat.) I think you can agree with me that the Chicago Public School system is a credible source to draw information from.
The way the authors demonstrate logos is amazing to me because they somehow find a connection point between two very different ideas. In each chapter throughout the book, Levitt and Dubner describe the scenario for each idea and towards the end of the chapter, they reveal the similarity between the two. Not only do they support their argument with great logic, but once they reach the end, they allow the reader to pick up the similarity and make their own judgment on the matter. For example, the similarity between schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers is the fact that they both cheat. Schoolteachers cheat on their students’ tests to get a pay raise and sumo wrestlers cheat by rigging the wrestling match. The two wrestlers make an agreement that “you let me win today, when I really need the victory (to get the most amount of money) and I’ll let you win the next time.” So, both schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers cheat to gain the most amount of money. In this case (and most cases), money is the incentive to do well, but money, as an incentive, can cause corruption, whether it is in academics or in sports.
The Post-American World
ReplyDeleteBy Fareed Zakaria
Ethos, Logos, and Pathos
During the reading of The Post-American World, the application of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos was everywhere! First I will discuss Zakarias application of Ethos. The Ethos is displayed through the preface and prior knowledge of the Fareed Zakaria. Zakaria is the editor of Newsweek and has his own show on CNN. With many appearances on news all over the world and many best-selling books written, Zakaria is a renowned character in the news. Even if the reader had no background knowledge of the author, the reader would still be able to see ethos displayed through Zakarias text. In the text, the enormity of support used by Zakaria shows the reader that Zakaria knows his stuff and is to be respected.
While Ethos is very prevalent in The Post-American World, Logos is used just as equally. Zakaria uses logical reasoning through out his text through historical references, facts and statistics, current events, and much more strategies. The overwhelming amount of logos not only persuades the reader, but helps develops the ethos of Zakaria.
Pathos is used by Zakaria through allusions and real-life situations. Zakaria appeals to the reader’s emotions by relating this very broad term of globalization to their own personal life. This comparison connects the reader with Zakarias vast argument. Zakaria also applies pathos through his use of imagery of the future. Zakaria gives the reader an image of the future, which doesn’t scare, but allows the reader to see the effects that the non-acceptance of globalization has on America’s future.
Freakonomics
ReplyDeleteBy: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
Lets Talk About Style
Considering the fact that Levitt teamed up with Dubner to write a book that seeks to answer questions, it makes complete sense that the main bulk of the book examines situations logically. The book is fueled by Levitt's "underlying belief: that the modern world, despite a surfeit of obfuscation, complications, and downright deceit, is not unknowable, and--if the right questions are asked--is even more intriguing than we think. So Dubner shaped the book to fit Levitt's "new way of looking" at situations. The main support behind the partners's appeals is logos. Dubner incorparates mathematical data interpreted by Levitt as evidence to back the book's conclusions. For example, in chapter one, What Do School Teachers and Sumo wrestlers Have in Common?, Levitt anyalyesed the data from "nearly every official sumo match among the top rank of Japanese sumo wrestlers between January 1989 and January 2000" and fond that in close final tournament matches the wrestler with a position already secured is very likely to allow the other player to win. By showing the mathematical figures behind this scheme, Levitt and Dubner prove that sumo wrestlers cheat. Furthermore, Levitt reveals that the high stakes of the ranking determined by tournaments create a strong incentive for sumo wrestlers to cheat in order to maintain a good position. In the previous section, Levitt shows that by comparing the test scores for different class rooms on state standardized tests, you can tell,and eventually prove which teachers are cheating in order to up their classes score. Once again this claim is backed by a data table showing the difference between cheating and non-cheating test scores. Dubner points out to the reader that you can often distinguish if a teacher has been altering their student's scores just by looking at the answers. If an unusual pattern of answers appears and there is notable discrepancy between past and previous test score for the same children the teacher is probably cheating. It is in this way Levitt and Dubner prove that teachers and sumo wrestlers do indeed have something in common...cheating.
Freakonomics also appeals to ethos. Steven Levitt is an acclaimed and highly respected economist, so naturally the audience will be compelled to believe Levitt's factually supported claims. In addition, Dubner provides information as to where the certain statistics they use have come form. For example, in chapter 4, Where Have All the Criminals Gone?, the list of most frequently mentioned publications explaining the 1990 crime drop are taken form the LexisNexis database. By using trusted and notable sights and studies to gather information form, readers are more likely to believe that the conclusions that the data supports are true.
TPFOUFTS
ReplyDeleteEthos, Pathos, Logos and other devices
In this novel, Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin appeal mainly to pathos through their description of the gruesome events they endured. This appeal is not necessarily intentional, but as the boys tell their stories, the emotions invoked are undeniable. One of many examples of this appeal to pathos is when Benson recounts his experiences with his swollen foot. He narrates, “I left my bag and a piece of plastic I used to spread on the ground and went outside to ask for some food to eat. Unsuccessful, I limped back to the building, too tired to search further, and found my bag and the plastic gone. Tired and hungry in wet rags, I curled my body between the seats.” This passage depicts one crude aspect of war. Even though Benson had so little and was starving and wounded, someone still had less and stole his miniscule possessions for themselves. This shows the brutality of war- how it impoverishes an already economically unstable continent and how it affects the innocent children. We see these children go from sheltered in their villages by their loved ones to brutally cast out into a world where they struggle to care for themselves in a society that cannot afford to help beggars, even children.
The boys also use the literary devices of similes and metaphors to depict the African culture and their struggle. Benson illustrates, “Nobody asked me what was wrong with my foot. Nobody! They surrounded me like mongoose waiting for termites to leave their mound.” This simile shows us the animalistic behavior and craving for food that was caused by the war. It destroyed the villages and way of life and made it difficult to make it on a day-to-day basis. The use of these similes and metaphors that apply to African culture and life gives the book powerful support.
Three Cups of Tea
ReplyDeleteGreg Mortenson and David oliver Relin
To begin analysis on my book, I think it would beneficial to explain that this book has no political agenda, other
than the too obvious mission of persuading Americans that muslims and all other people of Pakistan and the middle east are not terrorists, and really only recounts the
story of a man building schools in Pakistan. As there is really nothing to argue here, as any feeling human being would realize that all muslims are humans just like christians or jews or wiccans or hindus, there is no real need to use any sort of logos, only slight appeals to ethos, but naturally relies on pathos.
Appeals to ethos are evident by simply reading the back cover: the story centers around a man who climbed K2 in Pakistan and stubles upon a remote village where he promises to build schools. The writer wastes no time in making himself credible: obviously someone who has personally experienced things is a person who knows what they are talking about. After you open the book the first three pages are littered with meaningless praises of the book, luring in the reader with false claims of "drama, danger, romance, and good deeds," says The Christian Science Monitor. Past that, there is a blurb explaining the character and accomplishments of the two autors. As Mortenson is not a real
writter, and Relin is there said to be a "globe-trotting journalist who has won more than forty national awards for his writing and editing" i thinks its fair to assume that he did most of the writing and will blame him for this 331 page newspaper article.
Each situation in the book is intrinsically an appeal to pathos: if it was not emotional it probably would not have been put in the book. One of the many stories i recall is a heart-wrenching account of Fatima Batool losing her sister to the fighting between Pakistan and India and the refugee camp she was then made to live in made me tear up. Then a "Dr. Greg" comes to the rescue, digging a water uplift well and building a school. Although water and education cannot ease Fatima's greif of her sister, these two separate stories are joined together to paint Mortenson as a wonderful man. Not to minimize the gravity of what Mortenson accomplishes, as i understand that he really is a great man, i felt that the book was not written well enough, and was semi-gimicky when using pathos and talking about Mortenson's actions.
While syntax was pretty straight forward, diction was strange and clumsy. Strange words were used for effect that didn't really carry the tone very well. For example, at the grave site of his mentor Haji Ali in the village
Korphe, he describes his memory as "drifting back with a hallucinogenic clarity." Although somewhat appropriate, The word hallucinogenic can only remind me of drug culture, and not a solemn scene in a cemetary in the freezing remote mountains of Pakistan. Words and metaphors like these are common.
Ultimately however, this book took on the tone of the ultimate newspaper article, as every discription was breif and relied heavily on dialog. There were pleasant descriptions of pakistanis, and actually showed them as loving Americans (this was pre 9/11) which i had forgotten, but really didn't do much else than that. The story was
enough to drag me most of the way through this book, however it was somewhat painful.
-Rachel Critelli
Freakonomics
ReplyDeleteRe: Kimmy
Throughout Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner appealed to mostly logos where they looked at different situations very logically. I will have to agree with Kimmy when she says "it makes complete sense that the main bulk of the book examines situations logically." Without reading this book, I would never have known that wrestling matches are rigged or that schoolteachers cheat to get a higher status. Since I have read Freakonomics, I look at things in more depth than just looking at the outside. I don't dig as deep as Levitt and Dubner, but I do analyze different situations. I really enjoyed how this book was logically set up to allow the reader to form his/her own judgement and analyze the situation with a little help with all the information given by Levitt and Dubner.
They poured Fire on us from the sky
ReplyDeletestyle
I agree that the use of pathos is dominate in this novel. And because of their youth and their outlook on life, they describe their challenges with a directness and truth that amazes me. Alepho speaks to his brother cousin, “ ‘You are not in your mama’s house anymore, you have to think about what brought you here. You can’t complain about being a hen; you have to do everything to stay alive. You’ve already seen that boys like you are dying. They always cry and they’re always depressed. Im not saying I’m a grown adult, but this is the situation. to live, this is just my thought. Whatever you think is up to you. if you want to die, just go ahead and die. I don’t are. We will all die. No problem.’ I did care. I didn’t want peter to die. He was the only brother I could be sure was still alive.”
Still a child himself, alepho understands what it takes to survive. Because he is scared and wants to escape this torment, he wants peter to understand the importance of life and family. But the only way he knows how to do this is to say is bluntly and forcefully.
Although pathos is used, the boys do not ask for pity when sharing their story. “Imagine someone starving, dreaming that he has plenty of food beside him. But when he wakes to have his delicious food, there is nothing…but by the will of God, early in the morning, they guy get lucky. He finds food in wild trees. He thanks the Almighty and starts to feed on one of those wild trees. That was how I felt in 1998 when the process for the Lost Boys to go to America began. It gave back hope.” (Benson 279). They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky describes the details of these boys struggle to survive, with only the help of other boys in their situation. When Benson speaks of the hope that they were suddenly granted, the climax of the arrives.
does anyone have example of logos used?
I am reading The Devil's Highway: A True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea. In this novel, the author appeals to pathos and ethos by illustrating a journey between a group of immigrants who struggle to cross the border into America for a better life. The author uses imagery and analogies to better demonstrate his purpose. For example, "Gangs are so in control now that walkers who want to go alone, without a pollero to guide them, must pay a fee just to enter the desert. Criminals are at the gate of Disneyland: they're scalping tickets, and they're scalping each other.
ReplyDeleteFreakonomics:
ReplyDeletePrimarily a logos argument in that the author uses statistics and data to come to general conclusions about given situations. Although the writer does throw in the occasional ethos, citing his own credibility, the credibility of certain studies, what have you, he is centered mainly in the logical deductions he can surmise from the situation at hand. As Kimmy said, were a book centered around economics and logical conclusion to go about its aims in a manner other than one which is logical, it would destroy the entire concept of the book. Although dry at times, this book is completely engaging so long as you're willing to delve into the concepts at hand.
The Glass Castle
ReplyDeleteWalls’ story mainly involves appeals to pathos. During her Memoir she tells the reader about how she had to go to the hospital when she was three because her dress caught on fire, about how destructive her father was when he was drunk, and how she was treated at school in the various places where they lived. The reader is encouraged to put their self in the narrators place and see these events through the eyes of a child that does not know of any better life. An interesting aspect of this story is that Walls’ diction and syntax and diction mature as the story progresses to reflect her age as she tells her story. In the begging of the book Walls’ word choices reflect a limited vocabulary and many of her sentences are short and are full of a youthful enthusiasm. By the end of the book though, her writing is a mix of sentence structures and her wording sounds very refined and developed.
Logos in Three Cups of Tea is limited to occasional comments on prices of building the school. The rest of the book appeals to either ethos or pathos by building Mortenson’s character or using detailed descriptions of and imagery of the poverty of the people that Mortenson has helped. What could be more emotionally heart wrenching than to see kids writing in the cold mud in order to learn the multiplication tables with no teacher.
ReplyDeleteThe Sound and the Fury:
ReplyDeleteI think this book is primarily focused on pathos. The frantic and haphazard nature of the first chapter creates a feeling of unease, or impending disaster. The first-person style makes it easy to feel empathy for the characters' emotions, even if, as in the case of Benjy, it can be hard to understand what literal events those emotions refer to.
I haven't finished the book yet, but there's an air of secret tradgedy in the relationships between the characters.
The pacing of the book might be considered a sort of logos. The events don't happen in chronological order, and there are certain lines and themes that are repeated in different parts of the book. The repetitiion of themes, such as drowning, and motion in the Quentin chapter, puts a greater emphasis on the ideas.
Three Cups of Tea
ReplyDeleteGreg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Re: Rachel- Book Analysis
Well since you pretty much covered all there is to cover in that department, I'm gunna take a back seat on this one and just state that I completely agree with what you are saying and move to the next subject.