TOW #23: "Civilization’s Starter Kit," Lewis Dartnell

When thinking about the idea of civilization, it is hard to imagine how much is truly involved. As a human, one might be an expert at one subject, and clueless when it comes to another. This disconnect could cause issues if there was ever a situation where humans needed to rebuild civilization. In his opinion article, "Civilization's Starter Kit," published in the New York Times, author, Lewis Dartnell addresses the skills and ideas that are crucial to the success of a civilization. In order to explain the importance and broadness of society, Dartnell uses rhetorical questioning and makes an appeal to authority. In the article, the main question that the author asks is "what key principles of science and technology would be necessary to rebuild our world from scratch?" This question is important because it forces readers to think about what humans would actually need. It is not as simple as the recipe to a pie or knowing how to do multiplication. He also asks, "who has any real understanding of where their last meal came from or how the objects in their pockets were dug out of the earth and transformed into useful materials?" By asking these questions, Dartnell is clearly sharing his purpose. In order to convince the audience to agree with that purpose, he includes a quote stated by Richard Feynman, a famous physicist. Feynman is not stupid, and because the quote backs up Dartnell's stance, it helps his argument overall. This article was very interesting in my opinion, and it accomplished the purpose of making me think about all that goes into society. It also effectively touched on what is most important in civilizations, which is important to know if the I ever have to rebuild society.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/opinion/sunday/civilizations-starter-kit.html?ref=opinion

TOW #22: "A toddler, a cupcake, and a mob of critics," Ruben Navarrette

Featured on the hit talk show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, just the other day was an adorable video that had went viral, showing a young boy asking his mother for a cupcake. The child was so cute, trying everything he could to get the cupcake, He was very persistent and determined, giving all the viewers a laugh. When I saw this video, I thought that it was the cutest, and I thought his attitude showed intelligence and independence. Others though, thought that the child, and his family members, were wrong in the duration of the video. That is the issue that Ruben Navarrette addresses in the CNN article, "A toddler, a cupcake, and a mob of critics." I agree with Navarrette's piece completely. The message I got through the article was that people have no right to make assumptions and be hateful based off of a popular home video. The first thing that the author does is addresses the fact that not everyone jumped straight to judging and insulting the cideo. It was clear, after Navarrette shared his own opinion, that from what he saw, many people were very supportive and positive about the clip. It was an adorable video, meant for nothing but a little chuckle, and most audiences viewed it that way. The article targets those that weren't positive. Those that saw the video and decided to post their opinion on what an awful mother Linda is, or how disrespectful the child, Mateo, is, or how they must be living in an abusive household. The fact that these type of conclusions are jumped to based off of a video astounds me. Navarrette uses a lot of questioning throughout his piece, asking, "What kind of world do we live in?" and "Do you see the trouble you've caused, little Mateo?" This questioning forces readers to think about how we react to these situations. It forces readers to question the stereotypes that exist, and it forces audiences to realize that stereotypes are crazy. For commentors to blame a toddler, and call him disrespectful without knowing him is awful. While some people were upset with the story, Ellen loved it. She invited the boy onto her show and awarded him with cupcakes. The article ends with a beautiful line, "this story reminds us what the world needs. More empathy. More respect. More compassion. And more Ellens." So remember to think before you comment. It may be on the Internet for the world to see, but that does not make it your business.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/opinion/navarrette-boy-cupcake/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

TOW #21: American Gothic, Grant Wood

When many people see the painting, American Gothic, they think of the icon that it is today, and do not look too closely at the details. Since its creation in 1930, this painting has grown extremely popular among people everywhere, able to be recognized with only a glance. Looking closely at this canvas though, it is clear that each stroke and color was chosen for a reason by the artist, Grant Wood. Wood drew the house that is in the background first, after one he had seen before, and then he drew the people in front of it. Interestingly, the woman in the portrait is based off of his sister, while the man in the portrait is based off of his dentist. In this painting, Wood is able to effectively showcase a realistic American couple (during that time period) through his use of neutral colors and sharp realism. Through his color choices, Grant was able to convey to the audience exactly what he wanted to. This piece was created when many things were happening involving the United States. The Depression had just destroyed America, and the nation was about to enter into another long and devastating war. By choosing neutral browns and grays over bright blues and neon greens, Wood was able to portray a modest couple. The understated blues and greens in the picture were there to make the scene look believable, but they were dulled down, as was everything in the image. Similarly, the facial expressions of the husband and wife were toned down. They were not happy, as they probably had been working hard all day, without much free time to have fun. The world was a little stricter than, as money was tight and hard work was necessary. The people shown are not beautiful. They are not the Hollywood stars that are seen in magazines in doctors' offices across the nation. They are not airbrushed or botoxed. They do though, look real. By painting his characters to be average-looking among, rather than America's idea of beautiful, Wood created a couple that could honestly live in that farm house. He made a story that was possible for his viewers. This image is not abstract; it is straightforward, so that anyone who sees it can understand it right away. By using toned-down colors and realistic attributes, Grant Wood achieved the ever-changing, "typical" American couple of his time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grant_Wood_-_American_Gothic_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

TOW #20: Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (IRB)

The desire to experience new ideas, travel to foreign places, and forget preconceived notions is not an uncommon one. This urge is intensified when one is unhappy with their current life. It is sometimes completely necessary to take a step back from reality, from the relationship issues, the expectations that come with age. In her memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert does a phenomenal job re-telling her journey to find herself through a year long trip to three countries she had always wanted to visit: Italy, India, and Indonesia. On this journey, Gilbert intends to cleanse her soul and find who she really is through the balance of worldly pleasures and divine peace. Through the use of figurative language and rhetorical questioning, Gilbert shares her story of overcoming depression and breaking the harmful cycle. This memoir then has the ability to help other victims of depression find similar solutions. As the author describes the situation that nudged her towards her self-searching journey, she uses many metaphors that really capture what she is feeling. She described herself as being "such a diligent soldier for years -- working, producing, never missing a deadline, taking care of my loved ones, my gums and my credit record, voting, etc" (23). Gilbert was responsible for so much in her life, and the comparison to the soldier just shows how truly hard she was working and how dedicated she was to having everything run smoothly. Even on her trip though, the author struggles with depression and loneliness. One particularly rough night, Gilbert personifies these two feelings. "Then they frisk me. They empty my pockets of any joy I had been carrying there. Depression even confiscates my identity; but he always does that" (47). By giving depression and loneliness this persona, she makes the pain seem more tangible and realistic. Depression and loneliness are not easy emotions to explain without the use of figurative language. Along with figurative language, Elizabeth Gilbert uses rhetorical questions to explain her experiences in struggling to find herself. "What was the root of all this despair? Was it psychological?...Was it just temporal, a 'bad time' in my life?...Was it genetic?...Was it cultural?" (49). In order to solve the problem, Gilbert believe she had to find where it came from. I think that this moment was the start of her journey. When she started questioning where the sadness came from, she recognized and accepted that it was there. Later in the book, she again questions depression. In the beginning, Gilbert shared with audiences that one of the reasons her marriage fell apart was a difference of opinion on having children. Gilbert asks, "But what if, either by choice or by reluctant necessity, you end up not participating in this comforting cycle of family and continuity? What if you step out? Where do you sit at the reunion? How do you mark time's passage without the fear that you've just frittered away your time on earth without being relevant?" (95). The insecurities that many people have about children are highlighted here in Gilbert's writing. This novel is so effortless to relate to, because Gilbert is an authentic real person that does not idealize her life. By asking these important questions in her book, Gilbert can create a connection with readers who feel the same way. Then readers will feel as if they are not alone in their situation. While I can relate to this book fairly well, I believe that a more connected audience would be middle-aged women, like Gilbert. The people that have gone through the same experiences will clearly feel stronger about the book. As the reader, I feel like I am learning about myself as the author learns about herself. This book has caused me to look at how I am living my life and if the things I do are what I want. We are about to leave Italy, and I can not wait to see what India has in store.

http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/eat-pray-love/