TOW #7- An Invisible Thread: Part Two

             An Invisible Thread, written by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski, was an inspiring novel that aimed right for the hearts of the audience to show them the impact of human connection on life. In the second half of the novel, Laura and Maurice’s relationship evolves, as it has to overcome a multitude of obstacles. The use of the Juxtaposition between Laura and Maurice’s personal lives, and the touching, personal epilogue from Maurice’s point of view, helps to convey the emotional impact that Laura and Maurice have on each other as the novel comes to an end. When Laura meets the person whom she feels to be the love of her life, their conflicting views create obstacles for her and Maurice. While Schroff always thought Maurice would become part of the family, her husband thought differently. Meanwhile, Maurice also begins to start a family as he has children at a very young age. The juxtaposition of these events that Schroff conveys creates a rift between Schroff and Maurice. It leads to a separation that carries a sad tone, and mood. This mood created by juxtaposition, however, highlights the impact they have had on each other’s lives and emotions. Although they do end up overcoming these obstacles and becoming part of each other’s familial lives, the period of separation indeed pulls at a mature American audience’s heart, and shows human connection. The book comes to an end in a rather untraditional way, however. Rather then conclude the book from Laura’s eyes, Schroff chooses to insert a letter from Maurice, entailing his thanks to Laura for everything she had done for him, the poor boy on the street.  He writes to her that, “You taught me how to dream, how to trust people… how to be a good man and father” (Schroff, 227). The final acknowledgement from the actual boy whom Shcroff had connected with not only creates credibility for Schroff and her message, but also pulls one last time at the emotions of the audience. Through the letter, the audience can connect to Maurice, and realize the dual impact that one simple human connection can have on not just one, but two people.
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Laura and Maurice
http://chapelofhopestories.com/2012/05/30/an-invisible-thread/

TOW #6- Government Shutdown Political Cartoon

In an era in American history in which the economy is unstable and the government has gone awry, everyone, including the political parties, is looking for someone to blame. A political cartoon produced by Cargle Cartoons, a part of the reputable and political Moderate Voice (TMV), puts an image to the issue while making it connectable for Americans. Alluding to the nature of the Republican and Democratic parties and juxtaposing the parties themselves with humor achieve the purpose of relation with Americans of basic political knowledge. The image in the cartoon displays a donkey in a blue shirt and an elephant wearing red, alluding to each party. The viewer is left to imply to whom the picture is referring based on the animals, representing corresponding party mascots, and the colors, representing corresponding party symbols. This allusion to the parties without stating their identity adds to the intended message; the parties seemingly blindly blame each other, without working together. It also shows the viewer would have ample amount of knowledge about politics to be able to make these implications. The allusion to the two political parties leads into the juxtaposition of these parties. In the image, the two are juxtaposed almost humorously as their shirts both read, “He shut down the government,” with an arrow pointing to the opposing political party. The use of humor to juxtapose these two characters helps to connect with the audience, and the situation thus becomes connectable. The expressions of the characters, in what they say and their facial expressions, add to this overall effect. The negative yet humorous tone given off by the sour face and the words “jerk” and “creep” help the audience to understand and connect to the childish aspect of the issue while conveying humor. The words depicted in the cartoon are often words used by younger people throwing a fit, and thus have a childish connotation to the average American viewer. It is the combination of the allusion and humorous juxtaposition that get the governmental issue to be connectable to the intended viewer, and aid in achieving the purpose.

Government Shutdown Cartoon by Cagle Cartoons (TMV)
http://themoderatevoice.com/105943/government-shut-down-cartoon/

TOW #5- Can We End Hunger by Eating Bugs?

In an intriguing article, Stewart M. Patrick, an expert on Global Governance, the United Nations, and Transnational threats among other worldly issues, essentially attempts to sell the idea of consuming insects to the western world. By sharing his experiences with insect consumption, implementing supporting facts, and linking words to outside sources, Patrick succeeds in making the consumption of insects a more plausible idea in the wake of impending global crisis. Although it would take more then an essay to sway the western world from their cultural values, Patrick succeeds in making the idea seem more approachable to people of western decent. Beginning with Patrick’s own exploration of a third world country, the audience is immediately introduced to eating bugs. In the western world, bugs are considered a disgusting snack intended for the poor. Patrick acknowledges the preexisting aversion by showing his personal hesitations to partake in consuming bugs. By doing so, he connects with the immediate cynical response his audience will have to the topic while additionally drawing them in to hear is argument. By making himself connectable, his audience will have an easier time accepting his ideas as a possibility, rather then immediately dismissing them as taboo. By making himself connectable and drawing his audience in, Patrick makes eating insects seem logical with facts to support it. To make the audience believe that there is a range of options, Patrick goes into the variety of edible insects with specific numbers and health facts. These facts would appeal to the western people who are health conscious, or those skeptical on health impact. The statistics provided even are supported by direct sources. Portions of the article, including different words and phrases, are strategically linked to outside sources. These sources are not just random however; they include a credible variety of news, government, and business web addresses that provide appropriate and relevant supplemental information. By providing these easily accessible sources, Patrick is able to sway his audience on the authenticity and validity of his argument. The combination of all of this however, is how Patrick is able to convey his argument with a high degree of success.

Eating Bugs
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ants/bugs-08.html

Can We End Hunger By Eating Bugs? - Article

TOW #4- Comment is free No more denial. Time to act on climate change

The Guardian, a news outlet, published an editorial exposing the impact of critics on the global warming crisis. The author, whom remains unknown, outlines the different aspects of the lack of action, and why it must stop. The implementation of specific statistics, and an anecdote aid the author in conveying this point. However, the overall delivery of the text detracts from it.  The author begins the text with an anecdote relaying a hypothetical world-ending situation. Outlining the historic collaboration and effort that would be mustered into a heroic effort to save the Earth in an anecdote is purposefully implemented as a comparison. The author juxtaposes the hypothetical anecdote against the current lack of action that is reality. Following this with facts and statistics, she leads her audience to examine the lack of logic in the situation. The statistics are used as evidence of global warming, and the anecdote is made out to be a contradiction to what should be done to stop it.  The audience, any unsure person or critic, is then lead to wonder why there have been no efforts to stop it, if all of this evidence indeed exists. The author then points the blame at the skeptics in the government, citing specific government officials and their naïve decisions as proof.  However, the presentation of the argument and devices reveals itself to be the fatal flaw. With the inclusion of the arguments, the author fails to cite his or her source. Thus, the audience whom the author intends to sway to his or her side cannot be certain that the statistics are accurate. Additionally, the exclusion of the author’s identity contributes to a lack of credibility, therefore dismissing any brilliant use of rhetoric. While the author would have successfully been able to sway any uncertain or skeptical person, the lack of credibility distracted from the overall argument. 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/28/observer-editorial-climate-change-government-must-act 

Global Warming
http://fabiusmaximus.com/2012/12/10/mother-jones-polar-global-warming-46664/