IRB Intro Post: MP2

The life of Frida Kahlo can be described in many ways: dramatic, exciting, but most of all, contradictory. In her biography,  Frida Kahlo, Gannit Ankori works to sift through the variety of information on the artist in order to create an appropriate and accurate depiction of her life. Ankori brings to light unknown facts about Kahlo that add appreciation for not only her art, but also her perseverance. Kahlo struggles with determining who she is and her upcoming career, which I find inspiring and even relatable.

TOW 8 - JV is Where the Work Gets Done (Eliot Schrefer)

Being on Junior Varsity is like receiving a gold star when you did badly on a test or a participation trophy even though you lost. Writing a young adult novel is like being on junior varsity. It is common opinion, misconception, that the books are simpler. When in fact they are simply more enjoyable. He approaches the genre as more simplistic, which is logical as that teenagers are commonly thought of as more simplistic. Eliot Schrefer views being on the junior varsity of literature as a compliment. Even before the publication of his book, Shrefer knew that the young adult audience was cruel and picky. Teenagers don’t want the author’s opinion; they want a story, they want to be a priority. After his experience with his young adult book, Schrefer explains “the book’s unrelenting emphasis must be on character and event, and not the brilliance of the author’s viewpoint.” In his editorial, Shrefer reaches out to other authors and asks them to reexamine why they are writing: is it for themselves or for their readers? Appealing to the commonalities between his novel’s audience and his editorial’s, Schrefer highlights the desires of any reader. Schrefer’s emotional appeal is evident in the second paragraph of his essay when he describes himself after his first novel failed: “Betrayed by the world, I locked the door and did what I generally do with bad news: I went online and watched plane crash re-enactments.” A feeling known by his adult, or former adolescent, audience, Schrefer connects to them in a way all too familiar. Schrefer establishes his credibility as a writer, connects with the adult audience, and presents logical facts to persuade the writers in his audience they must write for the right reasons.

Editorial by Eliot Schrefer

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TOW 7 - Life with Boko Haram (Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani)

Acts of terrorism, symbols of terror and disgust such as nine-eleven, are routine occurrences for Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani in. Commenting on the Boko Haram Bombing, an explosion that rattled (her) nearby office building,” Nwaubani degrades the damages of terrorism as somewhat clichéd. This is contrast to what most people in America believe, therefore creating an appealing aura of mystery to those who have believed differently. Nwaubani identifies with why Nigerians or why any citizen of any country are slow to believe in terrorists, connecting to all different types of people all around the world. We tend to disregard the idea that one of our fellow citizens or neighbors or family members could blow him or herself up along with innocent civilians. Nwaubani describes her experiences in comedy clubs where the bits are about whether terrorist attacks are the same as internet scams, they make light of the threats they receive. First these anecdotes create an expectation of humor in the essay, which Nwaubani fulfills. The personal stories convey Nwaubani’s purpose to convince the audience not to live in fear of the world, but to enjoy the world. Nwaubani uses a clever hyperbole to enhance this point: Nigerians face so many fatal fates that “Terrorists are just one more addition to the roster.” If Nigerians were to live in fear of all that could happen, life would go on without them. They would be paralyzed, and the world would be moving and changing. Nwaubani commends the Nigerians for their “ability to laugh and remain optimistic amid the most dire circumstances” as one of the enduring characteristics of the country. The anecdotes, the connections to her audience, and the verisimilitudes in Nwaubani’s essay all add to its success. From the essay, one can take away lessons to live by: “We must continue to go about our business, to live and to laugh.”

Rachell Sumpter

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/opinion/international/life-with-boko-haram.html?adxnnl=1&ref=opinion&adxnnlx=1382619256-J956h75rHkzVXR3MO9YRrg

TOW 6 - Shut Down Cartoon (Joe Heller)

Due to a discrepancy in Congress over ObamaCare, all government-run programs, sites, or jobs were shut down. As depicted with the sign, the cartoon illustrates how the nation is not only distraught but also embarrassed. The artist, Joe Heller, is a well-known political cartoonist who always appears knowledgeable on his pictures’ topics. Joe Heller is also a bully. Heller villainizes those responsible, Congress, in the eyes of the American people in an attempt to get the government to right their wrong, the shut down. For the most part, aware citizens already disagree with Congress’s action; this cartoon adds fervor to their patriotism. Mount Rushmore, a symbol of American pride, an imperishable icon for Americans, clearly recognizable by simple familiarity or the sign, is covered thanks to the government. In reality I’m sure the monument doesn’t actually have bags over the presidents’ heads, but Heller’s depiction is believable. The picture uses a logic that is sane to the country: Congress has already shut down so many government programs and sites, what’s one more to them? As if this event wasn’t already interpreted as an outrage, Heller uses personification with the monument to show how mortified the presidents are. Presidents, who created this country and were critical to the nation’s development, are ashamed of what it has become. If their attitudes were misinterpreted through their speech, then their eyes portray their angst, anxiety, frustration, and exasperation. It would take a lot for those presidents to become ashamed of their country, but this shut down did exactly that. In one sense, Heller’s goal is to convince the nation to feel the same sentiments as the presidents. In another, Heller wishes to use the American opinion to bully the government into reopening.

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TOW 5 - Solo: A Memoir of Hope (pt. 2)

The second half of Solo’s book was definitely more controversial: while the first half described Solo’s background and history, she went on to explain the drama and gossip that occurred during her time with the US Women’s National Team. The way she portrayed her team at times made them sound like a group of cliquey high school mean-girls. This makes me think that the audience of the autobiography was geared more towards adolescent girls, since they would relate more to Solo’s feelings at the time. The way Solo structured her book was a smart move: since she already described her experiences as a high school teenage girl, Solo would know how to recognize a group of mean girls like the ones on her team. Her teenage audience knows how to recognize them as well. After the audience realizes that Solo is simply repeating the isolation many of them felt in high school, Solo’s actions are justifiable. I still believe that Solo’s purpose is to convince anyone that they can overcome obstacles, but I feel that a strategy she uses to achieve her purpose, or perhaps even a secondary purpose, is to generate sympathy for her struggles. Solo uses her feelings of isolation to drive her to success, thus inspiring her audience to do the same. If Hope can overcome all the adversity of her past and go on to win championships, the Olympics, and World Cups, so can you. In some ways it almost makes everyone else’s problems trivial, which contrastingly uses negative motivation for the same result. No matter which effect worked specifically, Solo’s autobiography inspires her audience to persevere and follow their dreams. Though many people told you it’s impossible, Solo proves that dreams can become a reality with a little bit of talent and a lot of hard work.

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