What does Benjamin mean by "aura"?
I think Benjamin means that art (films and photography) produced before the era of technology has a reality that modern art can't capture. He says that old films and photography had an originality; now everything is a picture of a picture. He bemoans the progress of technology because it has taken away the beauty of the art and replaced everything with machines.
Do you agree that mass-produced products lack an aura?
I definitely agree with this. However, growing up in a time where everything is mass-produced, I've never been able to see anything that was produced in its original form. So, I actually should say, "No, I don't think mass-produced products lack an aura" because I have never seen anything that isn't mass-produced. Nothing seems to be original anymore, and it makes sense when people say that every idea has already been thought. There are no more original creations; everything invented now gets it inspiration from something earlier. Even though I know I've been a victim of mass-orudced products, I still believe that the original works would be captivating. For example, Da Vinci's The Mona Lisa. I've seen pictures of the painting but never the painting itself. To be honest, it's not that impressive in photographs. But I think that if I saw it in person, I would be massively impressed and fascinated by it.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Assignment 5
What is "correct" language?
I believe that the “correct” language for anyone is the language that they identify most with. For example, Gloria Anzaldua says she identifies most with her Chicano language, the language she was born and raised in. Chicano is the language she speaks with her family, and if you asked her who she was, she would say Chicano. Speaking the language that you most identify with has positive effects on a person biologically. Studies show that if a person speaks a language they feel most at home with, they will experience a better immune system, fewer heart problems, and lower risks of depression (I read these facts in my Psychology book senior year of high school, and unfortunately, I can’t find the book anymore.)
However, while I do believes it’s great that people speak languages that make them happy, I do understand why society promotes one standard language. If everyone spoke different languages, no one would be able to understand anything. Everyone would have to become fluent in fifty different languages, which is just impractical and unrealistic. Society accomplishes goals because everyone is able to work together, and a vital part of that is everyone being able to communicate. To conclude, I see the practicality in one common language, but I do not believe that people’s native tongues should be hammered out until they are nonexistent.
How does audience affect the language you use?
Audience is the entire reason a person writes, so consequently, audience has to be taken into account every time a person writes. Writers don’t write to have their text ignored; they write so people will read their work. The language a writer uses has to be carefully chosen so it is relevant to an audience. Also, “language” isn’t confined to English, Spanish, French, or German. A “language” can be much more specific. For example, scientists in the laboratory speak their own language. They use terms that relate to their work, and normally, non-scientists would not understand what they were saying. I believe that is the definition of a language.
To continue, the language a writer chooses to write in has to be understood by the audience. A white American missionary wouldn’t write letters to native South American chiefs in formal English; he would have to write to him in the chief’s native tongue, which the missionary would first have to learn. If a kindergarten teacher was creating a worksheet for her class, she would not use complicated syntax and impressive diction; she would write in simple, concise sentences with basic English words.
If the author chooses the wrong language for his audience, his points will go unproven, and his work will be useless. It is safe to say no one would understand him.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Assignment 4
What is literacy?
Literacy can have a traditional definition of "the quality or state of being literate" (Webster's Dictionary.) It can simply mean that you know how to read and write in any language. However, I think that being fully literate requires a little bit more. To be literate, I believe you need to do something with your skills. You have to desire to learn more and understand more. You can't be simply content with writing simple sentences and reading "The Cat in the Hat." For example, once Frederick Douglass could read and write the basics, he pursued this further. He read more and more books and wrote every chance he got. He desired to be able to read complicated books and write intelligent papers. Also, being fully literate requires you to understand what you are reading and writing. A caveman could write the alphabet on a wall and not be fully literate. He does not know what he is writing, nor does he know what the symbols even mean. To be fully literate, I think you need to be able to comprehend what you are doing. You can't just read a psychology textbook; you have to be able to understand and interpret the information and form opinions based on it.
So appropriate for our last assignment ^
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Assignment 3
What is a text?
A text is a source of information that is from a firsthand source. In Walter Ong's Orality and Literacy, Ong states, "There is no way directly to refute a text" (78). A text itself can never be proven wrong because it cannot participate in discourse. Like Ong goes on to say, if you ask a text a question, you won't get an answer back. As long as that text is in print, whatever it says cannot be refuted. To refute a text, one must speak with the original author. Only then can proper discourse be made.
How is writing a technology?
It could be argued that writing was the original technology. Ong said, "It initiated what print and computers only continue" (80). Technology can also be defined as something that benefits and enhances society; writing does this as well. It allows ideas to be shared and read by millions of people. Without writing, details of many important events might have been forgotten. For example, how would we know so much about Christopher Columbus' discovery of America if it weren't for his journals and ship logs? Writing as a technology has benefited our world in so many ways.
How do we experience oral vs. written texts differently?
In written texts, much is left up to the reader. The reader can decide how to interpret something. The reader can create visual images in his own mind of how situations, characters, and events look. The reader can choose what he sees. In contrast, in oral texts, the reader becomes a "viewer." Now, the viewer must accept the text as the speaker gives it to him. The speaker puts the constraints on the text rather than the viewer. For example, when reading Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," a reader can choose how he imagines MLK Jr. to look as he writes that letter. Maybe the reader envisions MLK Jr. stopping every couple of lines to think about what he wants to write next. Maybe the reader imagines him furiously composing the letter as sweat drips off his forehead. However, when watching MLK Jr. giving a speech such as "I Have A Dream," the viewer must accept facts. For example, the viewer cannot think, "I think MLK Jr. gave his speech with a soft tone of voice and a gentle manner." Obviously, MLK Jr. was very adamant about his subject and had a strong tone of voice that included inflections when he got excited.
A text is a source of information that is from a firsthand source. In Walter Ong's Orality and Literacy, Ong states, "There is no way directly to refute a text" (78). A text itself can never be proven wrong because it cannot participate in discourse. Like Ong goes on to say, if you ask a text a question, you won't get an answer back. As long as that text is in print, whatever it says cannot be refuted. To refute a text, one must speak with the original author. Only then can proper discourse be made.
How is writing a technology?
It could be argued that writing was the original technology. Ong said, "It initiated what print and computers only continue" (80). Technology can also be defined as something that benefits and enhances society; writing does this as well. It allows ideas to be shared and read by millions of people. Without writing, details of many important events might have been forgotten. For example, how would we know so much about Christopher Columbus' discovery of America if it weren't for his journals and ship logs? Writing as a technology has benefited our world in so many ways.
How do we experience oral vs. written texts differently?
In written texts, much is left up to the reader. The reader can decide how to interpret something. The reader can create visual images in his own mind of how situations, characters, and events look. The reader can choose what he sees. In contrast, in oral texts, the reader becomes a "viewer." Now, the viewer must accept the text as the speaker gives it to him. The speaker puts the constraints on the text rather than the viewer. For example, when reading Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," a reader can choose how he imagines MLK Jr. to look as he writes that letter. Maybe the reader envisions MLK Jr. stopping every couple of lines to think about what he wants to write next. Maybe the reader imagines him furiously composing the letter as sweat drips off his forehead. However, when watching MLK Jr. giving a speech such as "I Have A Dream," the viewer must accept facts. For example, the viewer cannot think, "I think MLK Jr. gave his speech with a soft tone of voice and a gentle manner." Obviously, MLK Jr. was very adamant about his subject and had a strong tone of voice that included inflections when he got excited.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Assignment 2
"Toys" by Roland Barthes
Who is the audience?
Barthes' audience is very broad. He could be speaking to French people as a whole- specifically, French people with young children. However, this article is not directly aimed towards only French people. Any American, Chinese, or Mexican parent with a child could read this text and find relevance in it.
What persuasive appeals are used?
Barthes uses ethos and pathos to convey his point. He displays ethos through his complex sentence structure, elevated diction, and numerous examples of toys. His excellent ethos allows the reader to trust him as a speaker and actively listen to his argument. He also uses pathos by attempting to tug on the heartstrings of readers. At the end of the text when he began to discuss wood vs. plastic toys, Barthes seemed to be encouraging readers to think back to when they themselves had toys. Were they wood or plastic? He is saying, "Remember how much fun you had with your wooden toys like blocks? Don't you think children today should have wood toys instead of harsh, chemically made plastic toys?" He uses words like "warmth" and "softness" to make wood seem like man's friend as opposed to plastic which is "gross" and "hygienic."
Who is the audience?
Barthes' audience is very broad. He could be speaking to French people as a whole- specifically, French people with young children. However, this article is not directly aimed towards only French people. Any American, Chinese, or Mexican parent with a child could read this text and find relevance in it.
What persuasive appeals are used?
Barthes uses ethos and pathos to convey his point. He displays ethos through his complex sentence structure, elevated diction, and numerous examples of toys. His excellent ethos allows the reader to trust him as a speaker and actively listen to his argument. He also uses pathos by attempting to tug on the heartstrings of readers. At the end of the text when he began to discuss wood vs. plastic toys, Barthes seemed to be encouraging readers to think back to when they themselves had toys. Were they wood or plastic? He is saying, "Remember how much fun you had with your wooden toys like blocks? Don't you think children today should have wood toys instead of harsh, chemically made plastic toys?" He uses words like "warmth" and "softness" to make wood seem like man's friend as opposed to plastic which is "gross" and "hygienic."
More than just a piece of wood...
"Salvation" by Langston Hughes
Who is the audience?
Because Langston Hughes was a prominent figure in African-American culture in the early 20th century, his text was most likely aimed at black Americans. Hughes was a hero during the Harlem Renaissance, and many black people looked up to him. During the 1940's when his autobiography was published, most white Americans would not have been reading the autobiography of a black man. Therefore, his intended audience was black Americans.
What persuasive appeals are used?
Hughes uses lots of pathos to tell his narrative. His emotional appeal to his audience is strong and continued throughout the anecdote. The majority of readers can relate to this story in some way; as children, most people were dragged to church (unwillingly) where they were forced to sit and listen to a man talk about nothing they understood. Readers can identify with Hughes' confusion at the events taking place as he sat in his pew. Most readers can remember a similar scene from their childhood: A man began telling all the children in the Sunday School to repent of their sins (what sins?) and come to Jesus (who?).
More about Langston Hughes and his contributions to African-American culture
"Why We Crave Horror Movies" by Stephen King
Who is the audience?
King's article can apply to a wide variety of people. People who like horror movies will probably enjoy reading this article because they will see the truth in it. Even people who don't like horror movies can identify with it because King talks about why certain people don't like them.
What persuasive appeals are used?
King uses ethos and pathos to convey his argument. His article is humorous which allows the reader to remember it. Also, Stephen King is the king (no pun intended) of horror movies, so his credibility as an author on the topic of scary movies is off the charts. Any reader is going to believe what Stephan King writes about horror movies because King has created so many great ones in the past.
"Road Warrior" by Dave Barry
Who is the audience?
Dave Barry is one of my favorite authors, and in my opinion, any person could read his articles and thoroughly enjoy them. Dave Barry is a Miami columnist, so naturally, his audience is the people of Miami. However, "Road Warrior" is a diverse article that could be directed towards any group of people. All people have driven a car at some point in their life and have most likely experienced the rudeness of drivers. Also, anyone with any kind of knowledge about Miami residents would see the truth behind Barry's satire.
What persuasive appeals are used?
Barry uses a smooth combination of all 3 persuasive appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. He is a credible author on the subject of road rage because he lives in Miami where drivers are, stereotypically, very rude. His entire article is full of satire and humor, so that appeals to the emotions of his audience. Everyone loves a funny story, right? Finally, he uses logos because he appeals to the intellect of the reader. He provides concrete examples, and he structures his article to flow smoothly from one topic to the next.
"Why We Crave Horror Movies" by Stephen King
Who is the audience?
King's article can apply to a wide variety of people. People who like horror movies will probably enjoy reading this article because they will see the truth in it. Even people who don't like horror movies can identify with it because King talks about why certain people don't like them.
What persuasive appeals are used?
King uses ethos and pathos to convey his argument. His article is humorous which allows the reader to remember it. Also, Stephen King is the king (no pun intended) of horror movies, so his credibility as an author on the topic of scary movies is off the charts. Any reader is going to believe what Stephan King writes about horror movies because King has created so many great ones in the past.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Assignment 1
What is rhetoric?
Rhetoric is a mode of persuasion that allows a speaker to sway his audience to agree with him. In Aristotle's time, rhetoric was a true art; today, rhetoric does not have the importance it once did.
What are persuasive appeals?
Persuasive appeals are what orators and writers use to convey their arguments. Aristotle defined them as "ethos, pathos, and logos." In simple terms, these 3 appeals are very easy to understand. Ethos can be defined as the credibility of a speaker. Does the speaker seem to understand what he is talking about? Is he a reliable source for the subject? Pathos is a speaker's appeal to the audience's emotions. For example, if a representative from the Human Society was giving a presentation with the goal to raise money for new shelters, he might show some shocking, horrible pictures of stray animals. This would be his appeal to his audience's emotions. Logos can be defined as the appeal to the audience's logic. Is the speaker's argument organized? Does he speech easily flow from one topic to the next? If these answers are yes, then the speaker is using logic to persuade his audience. All of these persuasive appeals can be used simultaneously, yet independently.
What is a rhetorical situation?
A rhetorical situation is one in which a speaker is persuaded to give a response to a situation. According to Lloyd Bitzer in"The Rhetorical Situation, "rhetorical discourse comes into existence as a response to a situation, in the same sense that an answer comes into existence in response to a question, or a solution in response to a problem."
What is an audience?
An audience is a necessity for rhetoric. Every rhetorician speakers with a particular audience in mind. Without an audience, they would have no need to speak because there would be no one to persuade. An audience will either respond to rhetoric the way the speaker desires them to, or they will not.
For more information on rhetoric, visit The Art of Rhetoric: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Rhetoric is a mode of persuasion that allows a speaker to sway his audience to agree with him. In Aristotle's time, rhetoric was a true art; today, rhetoric does not have the importance it once did.
What are persuasive appeals?
Persuasive appeals are what orators and writers use to convey their arguments. Aristotle defined them as "ethos, pathos, and logos." In simple terms, these 3 appeals are very easy to understand. Ethos can be defined as the credibility of a speaker. Does the speaker seem to understand what he is talking about? Is he a reliable source for the subject? Pathos is a speaker's appeal to the audience's emotions. For example, if a representative from the Human Society was giving a presentation with the goal to raise money for new shelters, he might show some shocking, horrible pictures of stray animals. This would be his appeal to his audience's emotions. Logos can be defined as the appeal to the audience's logic. Is the speaker's argument organized? Does he speech easily flow from one topic to the next? If these answers are yes, then the speaker is using logic to persuade his audience. All of these persuasive appeals can be used simultaneously, yet independently.
What is a rhetorical situation?
A rhetorical situation is one in which a speaker is persuaded to give a response to a situation. According to Lloyd Bitzer in"The Rhetorical Situation, "rhetorical discourse comes into existence as a response to a situation, in the same sense that an answer comes into existence in response to a question, or a solution in response to a problem."
What is an audience?
An audience is a necessity for rhetoric. Every rhetorician speakers with a particular audience in mind. Without an audience, they would have no need to speak because there would be no one to persuade. An audience will either respond to rhetoric the way the speaker desires them to, or they will not.
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