TOW 16 - Frida Kahlo (Gannit Ankori) pt. 2

Gannit Akori did not end his story with a happy reader. I could tolerate the information overload for the first half of the book but by the end it seemed it was simply that. While Akori's appeal to logic is effective immediately, excess overwhelms the reader and seems trivial. In a way, it seems as if Akori didn't employ any of his own writing style in his book; it is more like a compilation of paraphrased citations. Kahlo has an emotional backstory but that is lost in how Akori translates it. By trying to remain objective, Akori does appear to be factual, but he comes across as detached and loses the reader's enthusiasm in the process. Looking back on my past critique, TOW 12, it occurs to me that what I described as "passion towards Frida Kahlo’s life story" illustrating "Kahlo's desire to thrive" was based not on Akori's writing, but his content. Kahlo was an inspirational women whose struggle and success created art that has moved and continues to move millions. Akori failed to capture an appetite for life that was so evident and essential in Kahlo's life; he was able to describe it yes, but it would have been much more effective to use vivd imagery and passionate diction. Akori seemed to spew facts at the reader that have no way of connecting with the reader. Anyone can connect with feeling alone, unworthy, or unsuccessful, just like Kahlo. Akori should have played off of those emotions and portrayed Kahlo as more of a realistic person, rather than a prominent figure in art and culture. I was disappointed with the book in totality but there were definitely shining moments; however I cannot say that those moments show the skill of Akori as a writer more than the skill of Kahlo as a person. 

TOW 15 - In This Rape Case, the Victim Was 4 (Nicholas Kristof)

I’ve been watching Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for as long as I can remember. No matter how many disclaimers they place in the beginning of the show, they will never convince me that the storylines are fiction. The plot in most episodes turns my stomach, add in the images, expressions, and dialogue and it simultaneously sends chills down my spine. But simply reading words on a computer screen gave me the same, if not worse, effect. I appreciate Nicholas Kristof stating simply the facts for the first half of the article because in a case like this the situation speaks for itself. Not only does Kristof use this structure to appeal to his audience, but in his title he states “the Victim was 4” and then in the first statement continues talking in a sense by describing her: “She’s a 4 year old named Ida…” Kristof encourages his American audience to spread awareness of sexual abuse in other countries besides the States. Immediately, connecting to something most Americans understand, Kristof establishes the price it would cost Ida’s family to arrest her rapist: $11.50. Number after number, Kristof throws statistics at his audience comparing the rape statistics of the 1970s to now, the arrests of the United States to third world countries that don’t have the same luxuries, the attitudes of men from different places, different eras, different lifestyles; the first two showing drastic differences, the latter not so much. There are bold statements in this article that provoked a variety of emotions within me personally, from disgust to empowerment to sympathy. One in particular spoke volumes to the idea of rape culture: “You were drinking. You were making out with him. You still call it rape?” That’s how Kristof describes the past view of rape in law enforcement and since the decline of that idea there has been a decrease in the number of rapes in the last four decades. Yes rape has declined since the 70s, but society has progressed immensely, so yeah I’d hope that number would be lower than it was. Yes America has made a nice start to putting rapists behind bars, and yes other nations should follow its footsteps in that sense, but rape culture is still prominent and thriving. Kristof is right to call out the Nigerian government and their lack of support for rape victims, but I think he embellished a bit on the United States’ amount of support.

A child, 4, waits to give a statement to the police in a rape case in Nairobi, Kenya, where many rapes go unprosecuted. Audrey Hall/Show of Forcehttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/opinion/sunday/kristof-in-this-rape-case-the-victim-was-4.html?ref=opinion

TOW 14 - Knife Advertisement (WMF)

http://chelseakopacz.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/awesome-advertisements-compilation-28.jpg

Clearly meant for a person with a serious interest in cooking, the ad appeals to chefs who know the importance of a good knife. Playing off of the audience’s assumed knowledge of cutlery, the caption at the bottom is a simple two-sentence phrase without any further explanation. The company, WMF, does not explain the Damasteel blade because it assumes the audience already knows the quality of that blade. In a sense this is an ego boost to those who understand, and it piques interest and curiosity in those who do not. If you know what is special about a Damasteel blade, you feel educated and well informed; if you don’t, you may want to know why this detail is so important. Immediately the simplicity of this ad grabs attention: a single, bright image dead center surrounded by a dull background emphasizes what the company wants you to focus on. Cutting the cutting board was a smart use of hyperbole for the advertisement. While the capability of the knife is clearly over exaggerated, it emphasizes the knife’s quality so much it is almost as if the manufacturer were saying, “Yes. We’re that good.” Going back to the simple caption, the phrase portrays the company as smug and self-confident that their knife is really that remarkable; the advertisement tells the audience not to underestimate the high quality of their product. The simplicity of this advertisement gets the message across and makes it short and to the point; it is this conciseness that makes the ad effective. While the audience can recognize the hyperbole, and some may be offended by it, the confidence of the company is what really sells their product.