1. I am trying to change how people look at and fear Pit Bulls.
2. I am writing my paper to people who believe that Pit Bulls are more ferocious than other breeds of dogs and that think Pit Bulls are not safe.
3. I am trying to appeal to their values by making the situations relatable to them and explaining the reality of the situations. Also by giving emotional examples.
4. My audience should believe me because I am passionate about the topic and use personal examples.
5. The change should be made because innocent dogs are being killed and taken from families. People don't understand that their fears are irrational.
6. That Pit Bulls do indeed attack people.
7. I answer that point by explaining why they attack people and discuss how other dogs attack people just as often.
8. Another argument point is that the dogs have a bad history of fighting.
9. I would answer that by explaining that their history was created by humans so we are equal to blame.
10. Pit Bulls themselves, the dog owners, dog lovers, people who fear the dogs, and myself will all benefit.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Paper #3 Rough Draft
Holly Snider
Position Paper
November 21st 2015
Sonia Begert English 101
Year
after year, misunderstood animals are killed in attacks towards humans. Leading
these numbers of killed animals are Pit Bulls. So, people begin to wonder,
“Should Pit Bulls be banned?” Pit Bulls, are “bully breed” dogs. Claiming that
in particular these animals regularly attack people, are not family safe, and
have a high temper. Many people believe these animals are viscous, aggressive,
and scary dogs. But, these accusations are wrong. Pit Bulls are not any more
aggressive or viscous than any other dog. Any dog can be trained or become
aggressive. It simply depends on the dog and the owner, not the breed. How can it
be fair to ban these dogs?
Places
in America have chosen to ban these animals. For example, Aurora Colorado, they
claim to have originally banned these dogs after a series of attacks. But now
are questioning to allow them. Many people in that area have spoken up and
presented their opinions and ideas. Innocent Pit Bulls in this area were taken
from homes and families by law enforcement without warrant. (2)
I have had four dogs that fall into
the Pit Bull category. They have been the best pets and friends anyone could
ever ask for. I would never question my trust or love invested in these
beautiful dogs. They have all played well with other dogs, greeted humans with
joy, and snuggled to their hearts content. My current dog, Kona, completes my
family. These dogs make fantastic pets and friends, taking them from a family
would be destroying the family altogether. Why would that be acceptable? Why
should the wholeness of my family depend on someone else’s opinion? It
shouldn’t.
According
to, HidingTheTruth.com, one of the biggest fears that come from people towards
Pit Bulls is that they so frequently attack people. “Sadly,
pit bulls are often blamed for attacks that were actually committed by other
breeds, furthering the unwarranted fear of these dogs.” The media does more coverage about Pit Bull
attacks than it does other breeds. So when there is an attack it is made to
seem like a more important situation than one with a different type of dog. (3)
Society does not see the severity of other dog bites or aggression because it
is often taken with a grain of salt. Whereas, Pit Bulls are automatically to
blame. These media stories surrounding Pit Bull attacks sell well, which
encourages the media to keep writing them and exaggerating them. (3) Without
the media these dogs could possibly not be blamed for so many inaccurate attack
accusations.
Another
highly common assumption is that Pit Bulls are not family safe pets. People
seem to believe that these dogs cannot do well with young kids. “In truth, pit bulls are
innately wonderful family pets, as capable of love and good deeds as any other
type of dog.” (4) Any dog can be a good family dog, it just depends on the
specific dog and owner. “A century ago, the pit bull was considered a family
dog, featured in family photos and trusted as loving companions for
children.”(4) Ken Foster explains through the book how the Pit Bulls family
image has changed, but attitude has remained. They are still just as capable of
being compassionate, loving family members. In most ways, it really is the
owner not the dog.
A lot of people claim that it is
indeed the dog not the owner. Because people simply are not the problem. (1) Well,
in my opinion this is simply ignorance. Believing that it is a certain group of
dogs that are 100% the problem and humans have nothing to do with it. Some
people would compare that to categorizing one group (or race) of people to be
the problem. Sound familiar? Society considers that to be unacceptable, so why
is it acceptable to blame one group of dogs? Clearly discrimination is part of
the problem. If people treated the animals right, and the dogs were raised with
love and greeted with joy, don’t you believe they would be caring and greet
humans with joy? I do, and I have living proof from four amazing creatures that
I have grown up with through my entire life.
Another argument that society discusses
is that Pit Bulls have a higher and less predictable temper than other breeds
of dogs. This is not true. This is just another myth. (3) According to a study
by Dr. Joel C. B, on average Pit Bulls do better in a temper test than the
whole dog population. If these animals could not pass the test they would not
be put up for adoption, which is not the case because many of these dogs are adopted
each year. If Pit Bulls had an unpredictable temper they would not serve as
therapy dogs, search and rescue help, educators, and pets in many homes. (4)
Many people still believe that
Pit Bulls are fighting dogs. But, what they forget to realize is that people
are the ones who taught them and most of the time forced them to be fighting
animals. When it comes to banning these creatures or worse, it is wrong.
Repeatedly blaming this breed, is making no progress and is an accurate
judgement. It so clearly goes far beyond that. The owners and abusers are the
ones to blame. Any animal or human can be taught and display aggression. Most
of the time out of fear. Therefore the dogs are fearing the humans. So
shouldn’t the humans be considered the “scary” ones?
Are the fears directed at Pit
Bulls irrational? I certainly believe so. Are these animals scary and
aggressive? Absolutely. But so can another breed of dogs along with people.
Blaming these dogs in only exhibiting cruelty. If it Pit Bulls are banned, or
worse, they will be taken from their loving families, destroying the family. It
is never a good thing when families are torn apart. It is false that Pit Bulls
are not family safe pets. Claiming that have a high temper is inaccurate,
proved by Dr. Joel C. B. All in all, the most appropriate thing to do is treat
these creatures with respect and love. “Blame the deed, not the breed.”(3)
Thursday, November 19, 2015
In Class Lab: 11-19
Should pit bulls be banned?
no
In this article it explains that pit bulls aren’t the dogs people
always refer to them as. “What may surprise some people is that pit bull is not
a breed of dog. Instead, it is a term used to describe several breeds of dogs
including the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier,
The English Bull Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier. Some organizations
also include the American Bulldog.” (quotation from hidingthetruth.com)
general information and opinions-news article
In 9news says that pitbulls have been banned from Aurora after a
series of attacks…now the debate is whether or not to let them come back into the
city after being banned. (paraphrased from 9news online article)
myths
According to myths about pitbulls on dogsbite.org, “the
outdated debate, "It's the owner, not the breed," has caused the pit
bull problem to grow into a 30-year old problem.1
Designed to protect pit bull breeders and owners...” later in the article
another one of the common myths are shown, “Pit bulls have the highest propensity and
frequency of any dog breed to be involved in a severe mauling.
Media members understand this and are quick to report such attacks.”
(dogsbite.org)
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=fZW1CgAAQBAJ
Works Cited
“Pit bull myths.” DogsBite.org. DogsBite.org, 2015. Web.
19 Nov. 2015.
“Pit bulls dangerous or just
misunderstood?” 9news.com. Tegna,
2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
Dr. Joel C. B “Should Pit
Bulls be Banned?” HidingTheTruth.com. TheBlog,
2015. Web. 19 Nov. 2105.
Ken Foster. I’m A Good Dog: Pit Bulls, America’s Most
Beautiful (and Misunderstood) Pet. New York: Penguin, 2012. Print.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Katherine Spriggs Response
#1. Spriggs has convinced me that this topic matters by using multiple reliable sources, sharing opinions and providing facts. Along with, background information and comparisons between bug and smaller farms. She establishes the importance of her topic by using those comparisons and making it relatable and reasonable to a large group of people everywhere.
#2. The author considers the opinion of labor costs. She explains that locally grown food is usually more expansive than industrial grown food. Which is usually because of labor costs. She responds by examining what happens to that money. How it stays in the local economy instead of being shipped all around.
#3. I think that the most effective part of the essay is the conclusion. She does a great job of giving a summary while still leaving in impact. It does have persuasive parts to it. She provides an explicit position, background information, and most importantly relates well to values. She appeals to emotional values, ethical values, and logical values very well.
#4. In the essay there are multiple pictures, and I think that it helps with the overall message. They all show things that are part of the farm business, but also that people have seen. They each have a take on each side, for example the picture of the semis give a negative point while the picture of the organic squash is more positive.
#2. The author considers the opinion of labor costs. She explains that locally grown food is usually more expansive than industrial grown food. Which is usually because of labor costs. She responds by examining what happens to that money. How it stays in the local economy instead of being shipped all around.
#3. I think that the most effective part of the essay is the conclusion. She does a great job of giving a summary while still leaving in impact. It does have persuasive parts to it. She provides an explicit position, background information, and most importantly relates well to values. She appeals to emotional values, ethical values, and logical values very well.
#4. In the essay there are multiple pictures, and I think that it helps with the overall message. They all show things that are part of the farm business, but also that people have seen. They each have a take on each side, for example the picture of the semis give a negative point while the picture of the organic squash is more positive.
Page 80 Response
Wednesday, Nov 18, 2015 04:00 PM PST
No, really, I’ll only vote for Bernie Sanders — and Paris helps explain why
This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to vote for Bernie Sanders and I'm not going to waste it
H.A. Goodman
Topics:
Hillary Clinton,
Bernie Sanders,
Rand Paul,
2016 Elections,
Iraq,
liberal democrats, Politics News
Before
I explain why the Democratic National Committee needs to be taught a
constructive lesson by responsible voters, let me dispel some myths.
These conspiracy theories revolve around the view that I’m a closet
libertarian, or Republican, based upon one article
written solely from an anti-perpetual war vantage point. For the
record, I’m a lifelong Democrat who feels that perpetual American wars
are the biggest moral dilemma our country currently faces.
President Obama sent troops back to Iraq in late 2014, so I grudgingly wrote the article because I didn’t want another American to be sent off to never-ending counterinsurgency wars. Since half to two-thirds of all the Americans killed and wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were the victims of IED blasts, I felt a need to write something provocative. Writing it was bizarre, and I even stated within the piece that, “If Rand Paul picks Mike Huckabee as his running mate, I’ll ‘evolve’ towards Hillary.”
It’s
amusing to me that I was more willing to vote for Hillary Clinton back
then than I am today, especially considering that certain detractors
have accused me of being an ardent Paul supporter, even when the title
of the piece used to disparage me reads, “I’m a Liberal Democrat.” For
the one millionth time, I certainly am not a supporter of Rand Paul and
believe he’s on the wrong side of history on almost every issue. I’ve
never voted for a Republican in my life and won’t because of one
headline.
In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have written the article, but at least I never voted for the Iraq War, opposed gay marriage until 2013, supported an environmental disaster in the waiting named Keystone XL, opposed the decriminalization of marijuana, or had the FBI investigate my emails. Imagine somebody doing all those things and expecting to win the Democratic nomination? At least I hope the FBI isn’t investigating my emails, but if they are, I’d have no need to plead the Fifth like some people.
To further dispel certain ad hominem attacks, please follow me on a trip down memory lane. My first piece in Salon was published last year and titled “Paul Ryan’s Much-Needed History Lesson: What He Really Needs to Learn About Urban Poverty.” I’ve written articles in the Hill titled “Illegal Immigrants Benefit the U.S. Economy” and “The Confederate Flag Is ‘America’s Swastika.’” Many months back, before I realized Bernie Sanders was needed at this point in U.S. history, I was published in the Baltimore Sun advocating “O’Malley Is Better Than Hillary Clinton. Here’s Why.” As for my view of female presidents, I wrote, “Elizabeth Warren, Not Hillary Clinton, Should Be the Next President of the United States.”
Before writing primarily about Bernie, my Huffington Post blog posts ranged from titles like “Tea Party Hatred of Obama Has Always Been About Race” to one piece titled “America Will Be a Stronger Nation When Gay Marriage and Marijuana Are Legalized Nationally.” I’ve also had the honor of being on HuffPost Live to discuss race in America. I’m a regular on Ring of Fire and “The Benjamin Dixon Show” and once debated Jesse Lee Peterson on illegal immigration.
Am I liberal enough for you?
If not, just watch my March 2, 2015, appearance on MSNBC’s “The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell,” discussing the “SNL” skit on ISIS and why America shouldn’t listen to the war hawks (like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Fox News) about sending more Americans to fight in the Middle East.
Just by glancing at my state-of-the-art website, one can tell that I’m far to the left of the average Clinton voter, and my 60-second YouTube segment offers enough reasons to vote only for Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Also, there’s not a soul on this planet who’d say that George Orwell would vote for Hillary Clinton, and I explain why Orwell would only vote for Bernie Sanders in this YouTube segment. If you’re certain that Clinton is the pragmatic choice in 2016, I also highlight here why the former secretary of state is unelectable due to negative favorability and why only Bernie can win.
President Obama sent troops back to Iraq in late 2014, so I grudgingly wrote the article because I didn’t want another American to be sent off to never-ending counterinsurgency wars. Since half to two-thirds of all the Americans killed and wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were the victims of IED blasts, I felt a need to write something provocative. Writing it was bizarre, and I even stated within the piece that, “If Rand Paul picks Mike Huckabee as his running mate, I’ll ‘evolve’ towards Hillary.”
ADVERTISING
In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have written the article, but at least I never voted for the Iraq War, opposed gay marriage until 2013, supported an environmental disaster in the waiting named Keystone XL, opposed the decriminalization of marijuana, or had the FBI investigate my emails. Imagine somebody doing all those things and expecting to win the Democratic nomination? At least I hope the FBI isn’t investigating my emails, but if they are, I’d have no need to plead the Fifth like some people.
To further dispel certain ad hominem attacks, please follow me on a trip down memory lane. My first piece in Salon was published last year and titled “Paul Ryan’s Much-Needed History Lesson: What He Really Needs to Learn About Urban Poverty.” I’ve written articles in the Hill titled “Illegal Immigrants Benefit the U.S. Economy” and “The Confederate Flag Is ‘America’s Swastika.’” Many months back, before I realized Bernie Sanders was needed at this point in U.S. history, I was published in the Baltimore Sun advocating “O’Malley Is Better Than Hillary Clinton. Here’s Why.” As for my view of female presidents, I wrote, “Elizabeth Warren, Not Hillary Clinton, Should Be the Next President of the United States.”
Before writing primarily about Bernie, my Huffington Post blog posts ranged from titles like “Tea Party Hatred of Obama Has Always Been About Race” to one piece titled “America Will Be a Stronger Nation When Gay Marriage and Marijuana Are Legalized Nationally.” I’ve also had the honor of being on HuffPost Live to discuss race in America. I’m a regular on Ring of Fire and “The Benjamin Dixon Show” and once debated Jesse Lee Peterson on illegal immigration.
Am I liberal enough for you?
If not, just watch my March 2, 2015, appearance on MSNBC’s “The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell,” discussing the “SNL” skit on ISIS and why America shouldn’t listen to the war hawks (like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Fox News) about sending more Americans to fight in the Middle East.
Just by glancing at my state-of-the-art website, one can tell that I’m far to the left of the average Clinton voter, and my 60-second YouTube segment offers enough reasons to vote only for Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Also, there’s not a soul on this planet who’d say that George Orwell would vote for Hillary Clinton, and I explain why Orwell would only vote for Bernie Sanders in this YouTube segment. If you’re certain that Clinton is the pragmatic choice in 2016, I also highlight here why the former secretary of state is unelectable due to negative favorability and why only Bernie can win.
Voting for Bernie Sanders-and Paris explains Why:
An Explicit Position: She believes that democrats need to be taught a lesson and republicans have the correct points of view, specifically right now on the Syrian crisis.
A response to what others have said: People call her a "closet Libertian". She responded with "Am I liberal enough for you?"
Appropriate background information: The author explains information about previous democratic decisions and debates. Along with military decisions. She explains her personal views and how they have changed.
A clear indication of why the topic matters: Its politics. Almost everyone cares. She talks about current relatable issues.
Good reasons and evidence: There is good reason for writing the article but it is mostly her opinion so there isn't a lot of "good reason" or "evidence". There is actual information about the past.
Attention to more than one point of view: There is brief overview of the other side but it is mostly one opinion that is explained and discussed.
An authoritive tone: I think she presents her opinion very strongly and uses a good authortive tone.
An appeal to readers values: Logical views are pointed out. A little bit of emotional views but not much are shown. Ethical views are in the article and appealed to depending on the way the article is interpreted and read.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Possible Position Topics
Possible Topics for Paper #3:
Pitbulls
Abortion
Standardized Test
Social Media
Technology in general
Climate Change
Environmental Change
Racism
Sexual Education
Immigration
Pitbulls
Abortion
Standardized Test
Social Media
Technology in general
Climate Change
Environmental Change
Racism
Sexual Education
Immigration
Homework Responses
Leah Nieman
Grace deMeurisse
Holly Snider
Bela Burns
There were many differences and similarities between our analyses between videos, as three watched the same video, and one watched a different video.
Leah Nieman, Bela Burns, and Holly Snider all watched drinking and driving, and I (Grace deMeurisse) watched texting and driving.
Leah, Holly, and Bela all report that the drinking and driving analysis all use ethical appeal and credibility, because there is many different people reporting on the story (from mothers, fathers, various members of churches).
They use as well many ethos (emotional appeal) to appeal to the viewer as well from sad music, to facts and heart wrenching stories.
The video on texting and driving uses many ethos, and not as many logical appeals as there were no statistics or facts shown in the video
Grace deMeurisse
Holly Snider
Bela Burns
There were many differences and similarities between our analyses between videos, as three watched the same video, and one watched a different video.
Leah Nieman, Bela Burns, and Holly Snider all watched drinking and driving, and I (Grace deMeurisse) watched texting and driving.
Leah, Holly, and Bela all report that the drinking and driving analysis all use ethical appeal and credibility, because there is many different people reporting on the story (from mothers, fathers, various members of churches).
They use as well many ethos (emotional appeal) to appeal to the viewer as well from sad music, to facts and heart wrenching stories.
The video on texting and driving uses many ethos, and not as many logical appeals as there were no statistics or facts shown in the video
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Summary and Analysis from Video
Summary and Analysis
I watched the video on drinking and driving.
The video is about two sisters who had went to a party with a group of friends. The older sister was driving the family's Range Rover home from the party with the friends in the car, and crashed into a pole. The accident was in the middle of the night in Massachusetts. The parents of the two girls did not immediately find out but when they finally did it was obviously extremely tragic and hectic. A friend that was in the accident survived. She considers herself extremely lucky. A different friend had bought the alcohol. The parents of the two girls created a program for safe driving, where anyone can call in and get a safe ride home. This accident and loss of the daughters deeply affected the parents lives.
Analyzing this video, is harder because it really does appeal to emotion. The video did a good job of showing different sides of the story and perspectives. There was a lot of raw emotion in the entire video and the story was presented well. This was a difficult video to watch and it leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
I watched the video on drinking and driving.
The video is about two sisters who had went to a party with a group of friends. The older sister was driving the family's Range Rover home from the party with the friends in the car, and crashed into a pole. The accident was in the middle of the night in Massachusetts. The parents of the two girls did not immediately find out but when they finally did it was obviously extremely tragic and hectic. A friend that was in the accident survived. She considers herself extremely lucky. A different friend had bought the alcohol. The parents of the two girls created a program for safe driving, where anyone can call in and get a safe ride home. This accident and loss of the daughters deeply affected the parents lives.
Analyzing this video, is harder because it really does appeal to emotion. The video did a good job of showing different sides of the story and perspectives. There was a lot of raw emotion in the entire video and the story was presented well. This was a difficult video to watch and it leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
In Class Lab How Things Mean
Bela Burns
Album Covers: These covers suggest that the performers are "cool", "hip"
and "caught up with the times". They show this by their various
demeanors. Several elements that work on the viewers are facial
expression or body language and clothing. The set of album covers are
very different. One album cover shows a very feminine woman, and the
other shows a pair of masculine men. Both albums display people who look
serious. The two different covers have different appeals, which will
attract two different audiences.
The same product can attract two different audiences, by the content and persona they display.
Holly Snider
Leah Neiman
Rolex and Hello Kitty watches: These two watches suggest telling time is
for everyone. One of these watches displays a childrens icon, and the
other displays an official business look. Several elements such as how
fancy the item looks or the fact that one displays a well known kids
character, work on the viewer. These two products, while they are the
same, appeal to two very different age groups with different income.
In Class Lab 11-10-15
Bela Burns
Holly Snider
Leah Nieman
Grace Demeurisse
In Class Lab: 11/10/15
1.
The author makes the argument that racial terms
should stick with the race they are founded from. The author presents a number
of different positions, such as views from “red necks” or “jews”. We are analyzing
the argument through these questions.
2.
He spoke with authority, which helped his speech
be persuasive. The author considers counterarguments, such as young white people
who think it is okay to use the word because their friends use the word. The
whole speech was given without citations.
3.
The author’s speech seems biased because the
whole speech is about his opinions. He also shares with us personal
experiences. He gives the example that he grew up in the south, therefore he
could be considered racist.
4.
Boston College is a private, Jesuit Catholic
research university. The college shares the same opinions as the author,
because they invited him to speak at their university. The college may have a reoccurring
issue with the use of this word.
5.
We have not seen any other similar sources on
this topic.
6.
This is a topic that people should acknowledge. An
opinion to be considered is where do we draw the line between equality and privilege.
The term used by white people can be racist, or be misunderstood.
7. The intended audience is white people at the Boston College, or viewers of the video. We are members of the addressed audience. The main topic of this video is to inform readers about the topic, as well as argue a certain point.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Summarizing pg269-284
Summary of the Reading:
The author begins by explaining that arguing is in the human nature and in some opinions our way of expressing ourselves. Arguments are everywhere in our everyday lives and sometimes manipulative. Then, the author explains that there are different purposes for different arguments. Next, an ac by Madonna is examined and explained through perspectives. The letter that Martin Luther King Jr wrote from his jail sell in Birmingham is explained as an argument and skills and techniques are shown. The second part of the reading starts with how it is important to understand the arguments that we see everyday and how they affect us. Then advertisements are shown as arguments, with a brief description. the author then reviews some skills needed to make good arguments. It starts with paying attention to the source, including examples. Followed by, "What's at Stake?", there is a process of questions to answer this overall question. "What's the Claim?" is another way for saying what side of the argument is someone on? Lastly, in the reading the author discusses "Emotional, Ethical, and Logical appeals". The author shows where and when arguments are made then shows how they are important and how to understand them.
The author begins by explaining that arguing is in the human nature and in some opinions our way of expressing ourselves. Arguments are everywhere in our everyday lives and sometimes manipulative. Then, the author explains that there are different purposes for different arguments. Next, an ac by Madonna is examined and explained through perspectives. The letter that Martin Luther King Jr wrote from his jail sell in Birmingham is explained as an argument and skills and techniques are shown. The second part of the reading starts with how it is important to understand the arguments that we see everyday and how they affect us. Then advertisements are shown as arguments, with a brief description. the author then reviews some skills needed to make good arguments. It starts with paying attention to the source, including examples. Followed by, "What's at Stake?", there is a process of questions to answer this overall question. "What's the Claim?" is another way for saying what side of the argument is someone on? Lastly, in the reading the author discusses "Emotional, Ethical, and Logical appeals". The author shows where and when arguments are made then shows how they are important and how to understand them.
response page 70
Argumentative Situation Lately:
One situation I have been in recently where taking a position was an exchanged texting conversation with my friend. She is buying a dog but doesn't want to get a lot of different breeds because they are too aggressive and mean. I asked her what she was referring to and she said pit bulls. "Because they are viscous animals." I disagreed explaining that any dog can be nice or mean, depending on how they were trained and treated by their owners. Some back in forth argument later, she stated that they are all aggressive dogs, its just in their nature. Once again I disagreed. But I do agree that pit bulls are given a bad reputation, but that doesn't always mean it is true. She really believed that it was fair and accurate to judge these dogs as an entire breed based on what some people think about them. We both explained our positions and why we think what we do, and still did not come to an agreement.
My position is that pit bulls are not mean dogs they are just misunderstood. Her position was that dogs like pit bulls are mean animals. Both of these positions were explained through out and stated in different ways, but is still explicitly said in the story.
People everywhere have this theory and believe that pit bulls are bad. There is two very different arguments to this situation. The two sides are usually relatively close to the ones I used in my story.
One situation I have been in recently where taking a position was an exchanged texting conversation with my friend. She is buying a dog but doesn't want to get a lot of different breeds because they are too aggressive and mean. I asked her what she was referring to and she said pit bulls. "Because they are viscous animals." I disagreed explaining that any dog can be nice or mean, depending on how they were trained and treated by their owners. Some back in forth argument later, she stated that they are all aggressive dogs, its just in their nature. Once again I disagreed. But I do agree that pit bulls are given a bad reputation, but that doesn't always mean it is true. She really believed that it was fair and accurate to judge these dogs as an entire breed based on what some people think about them. We both explained our positions and why we think what we do, and still did not come to an agreement.
My position is that pit bulls are not mean dogs they are just misunderstood. Her position was that dogs like pit bulls are mean animals. Both of these positions were explained through out and stated in different ways, but is still explicitly said in the story.
People everywhere have this theory and believe that pit bulls are bad. There is two very different arguments to this situation. The two sides are usually relatively close to the ones I used in my story.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Response to Page 69, video
After watching the video with the people singing along to Obamas speech, it changed how I viewed it. By adding the people into the video alongside Obama made a shocking difference to how his speech was conveyed and how it was received. It makes him argument much more powerful. Especially because the people shown singing along were a diverse group of people united singing. Which was what his speech was about. Everyone coming together and being one.
Because some of the people were easily recognizable, it made it easy to think of everyone being one, If those people hear the message and see things the way we do, it must be relatable. The famous people singing kept the audiences attention and made them relate to what was being said. All of the people but they had something in common. Singing "Yes we Can" alongside Obama and conveying a message that we all CAN come together and be one. Making the video powerful.
By playing Obama presenting his speech throughout the video kept the audience on track of who the original message was coming from. The singers being louder than Obama made it seem like the words were being screamed at the audience. Obama talking through it gave the idea that he was guiding the singers along. (Like how he "guides" our country) The words from Obama "Yes We Can" being repeated made the audience not forget and convinces them it is true.
This video was most likely powerful enough to changes peoples views on Obama and the message that has been attempted to explain for years. I think adding the singers alongside Obama was extremely helpful and powerful.
Because some of the people were easily recognizable, it made it easy to think of everyone being one, If those people hear the message and see things the way we do, it must be relatable. The famous people singing kept the audiences attention and made them relate to what was being said. All of the people but they had something in common. Singing "Yes we Can" alongside Obama and conveying a message that we all CAN come together and be one. Making the video powerful.
By playing Obama presenting his speech throughout the video kept the audience on track of who the original message was coming from. The singers being louder than Obama made it seem like the words were being screamed at the audience. Obama talking through it gave the idea that he was guiding the singers along. (Like how he "guides" our country) The words from Obama "Yes We Can" being repeated made the audience not forget and convinces them it is true.
This video was most likely powerful enough to changes peoples views on Obama and the message that has been attempted to explain for years. I think adding the singers alongside Obama was extremely helpful and powerful.
Questions for essay #2
Holly Snider
Taking Stock of Your Writing:
I analyzed my text by using rhetoric methods and skills. I
picked my ads and looked as deeply I could into them, by reading the quotes,
gathering background information, and viewing the images. Following the rhetorical
methods were definitely helpful for writing my essay and analyzing the ads.
For drafting my essay I chose the ads and looked at them
multiple times before beginning any writing. Then I wrote summaries of each of
the ads, continued with a basic analysis of each ad. Then I chose my thesis, I
edited my analysis to include my thesis and put each paragraph into “essay
form”. Lastly, I wrote my intro and conclusion based on the ideas and
information included in my essay.
I believe I organized my essay well following a pattern of
image, short summary, and analysis. But as always, there is room for
improvement. I could have included more transitions and transition paragraphs.
There is evidence for my points in each paragraph and I
think that is a sufficient amount. My thesis is referred to and supported
through-out the analysis.
In my opinion, I think I included solid detail and
explanation in all of the analysis, especially well.
Overall, I think my essay writing went well but I think
transitions could use the most improvement.
Yes I did use visuals. I think they provide good reference
points for the readers and give credibility to the paper. I think that words
could have done something similar but including the actual pictures is
important and useful.
I got good reviews and advice which made me feel more
confident in my writing for this analysis. I followed most of the advice and
suggestions I got from my peers.
Next time, I would probably choose three ads from three
different companies rather than the same one so I could analyze different
companies strategies and ads rather than similar ads.
For never writing an analysis paper I am pleased with how my
turned out. I think I did rather well for it being my first analysis. I learned
quite a bit about analyzing ads in general, but I learned much more about
CoverGirl and their makeup. I would like to see some more ads by them and other
companies and make a comparison.
Skills from this that could be used in other writing
situations are reading between the lines and deciding on credibility, both of
these are important in almost all types of writing.
Essay #2 Final Draft
Holly Snider
November 2nd, 2015
Dr. Sonia Begert
English 101
Advertising is a way for companies
to convey messages to their customers. CoverGirl is a company that sells a wide
variety of makeup products. Anywhere from basic foundation to bold eye shadow. CoverGirl’s
marketing slogan is “Easy, Breezy, Beautiful. CoverGirl” Through these ads,
there is a certain message being conveyed to the customers. What is it that
makes people have such a strong desire for these products? Well, put simply,
the advertisements.
Commonly in today’s society people
are not seen as good enough. There is a typical norm that everybody ‘must’
follow. In some ways, CoverGirl encourages stepping slightly outside the lines
of this norm, by promoting being unique and wearing bright or dramatic
products. But at the same time, in some ways, doing nothing but motivating
people to follow this common judgement. By showing people that in order to be
perfect enough for society, they need to buy this makeup.

This Taylor Swift Cover girl ad is
used to sell eye makeup. In this advertisement Taylor Swift is wearing bright
purple and green makeup. The company’s name is shown above her head and the
statement is in front of her, “don’t live in someone else’s shadow!” This ad is
encouraging that boldness is beauty. CoverGirl wants their customers to stand
out and be bold.
Cover girl uses Taylor Swift in
their ad to immediately attain the audience’s attention. She is gorgeous and widely
famous. Using Taylor Swift alone has a big impact on the way the makeup is
seen. People associate Taylor Swift with talent and beauty, so maybe if they
wear that makeup they will be talented and beautiful. The first thing noticed
when looking at the picture is the unusually bright makeup. It’s hard to look
away from. CoverGirl wants the audience to have an idea of ‘since she is
stepping outside her usual self and still intensely confident, why can’t you?’
Including the words in the photo make leave a lasting impact. “Don’t live in
someone else’s shadow!” Makes the customer think personally, are they living in
a shadow? Should they buy this makeup? The words themselves are a type of pun,
they are selling eye shadow and telling the audience “not to be in someone else’s
shadow” as if saying, “do not buy any other eye shadow,” doing this implies
that CoverGirl is the only eyeshadow worth buying. This particular ad follows a
color pattern of purple, some of her makeup is purple, her shirt is purple, the
words are purple, the title is purple as well as her earrings. Using the light
background behind this contrast of a color really makes the subject matter
stand out. This ad projects that women need individuality and makeup to be
beautiful. It encourages confidence while showing that someone needs to wear
makeup to be attractive. The picture gives off a message of without this
brightly colored eye makeup, you won’t be as noticeable as someone with it, and
being noticed is what people want.
The second ad pictured above is A Katy
Perry advertisement from April 2015. This particular ad is trying to sell
mascara. This advertisement is a picture of Katy Perry with bright teal colored
hair and eye liner. The words used to label the mascara are “Introducing the
Super Sizer Mascara”. The bottle is shown on the right hand side of the page in
a similar teal color as Katy Perry’s hair. The company’s name is at the top in
yellow. “Supersize your lashes” appears on the left hand side in small white
writing. The image is trying to sell supersizing mascara to people who like
Katy Perry and people who want bigger, thicker eye lashes.
When the audience looks at this ad for the
very first time they notice Katy Perry’s bright teal hair in contrast to her
light white skin. Her eye lashes are easily noticed because they are thick and
black. This ad has a theme of using the light teal color almost everywhere on
the picture. The woman’s hair, eye liner, the actual product, and most of the
words all coordinate back to that color. “The Super Sizer Mascara” words,
located in the bottom left hand side of the image, implies that the makeup
product will drastically change the users eye lashes, by supersizing them. The
teal supersizing object is a little bit lighter than the rest of the image,
making the audience’s attention get easily drawn to it. This product image is
encouraging confidence for people who want to have dramatic lashes and want to
stand out. But, at the same time looking at this image, shows the reader that
they are not good enough, or attractive enough, to be beautiful or dramatic
without this makeup product. This ad shows people that they need to wear makeup
to be as gorgeous as Katy Perry.

Above
is an image trying to sell multiple products from CoverGirl. “Red, White &
Beautiful!” are the words featured towards the center of the picture. The ad is
targeted at the Fourth of July audience. Once again, this ad is selling that boldness
is beauty. The CoverGirl name is shown above the subject matter. This time in
white. On the bottom left hand side there is a picture from inside the magazine
showing more people who would use these products. The woman in the center is
wearing all the makeup products, and she appears to be bold and beautiful. This
person is wearing a blue shirt in the theme of red, white, and blue. People who
want to be decorated for the Fourth of July would buy these beauty products.
When looking at this advertisement
it is very easy to notice that the red, white, and blue colors are all shown.
The red background makes the girl with blonde hair really stand out. Most of
the writing is done in white. Some of the writing is done in blue, along with
her shirt, some of the products, and the eye makeup the subject matter is
wearing. The girl wearing the makeup is centered so she is the first thing
seen. Then as eyes scan the image the words and objects are noticed. This ad
really pushes a message that people need to have this makeup for the Fourth of
July. Linking the theme of the ad with patriotism is intelligent because
patriotism is a positive, popular attitude. Using this theme reminds people of
simple things relating to the national holiday and makes them immediately want
to buy this makeup. This picture as well as the others, shows people they are
not good enough for society without CoverGirl makeup. As if saying, “To be
prepared and ready for the fourth, and of course patriotic enough, you need to
be wearing this bright makeup”. When in reality, is not necessary or true.
All three of the advertisements
above have a lot of similarities, however also a lot of differences. For
example, all of the ads use attractive women. But, the first two use popular,
well-known celebrities, more specifically music artists. Whereas the third one
uses a lesser known model. All of the chosen ads follow the simple CoverGirl
slogan of ‘Easy, Breezy, Beautiful.’ The featured women are obviously
beautiful, the makeup appears to be fast and simple to use. These three ads all
express wearing bold makeup equals beauty. They are all directed at relatively
the same audience. The first two ads shown, are simple and zoomed in on their faces,
in the third, the picture has more detail and picture.
Concluding that CoverGirl’s beauty
products promote being yourself, they also encourage the belief that women
simply are not good enough without it. In some ways, confidence is key, so by
telling women that it is okay and accepted to step out the lines of society
they are easily targeting a larger group of people. CoverGirl uses great
marketing techniques that help shape their ads into making them the best-selling
makeup company. The Taylor Swift ad, the Katy Perry ad, and the Red, White and
Beautiful ad have different distinguishing factors making them targeted at
slightly different audiences. Some advertisements send mixed messages to their
audiences, which is sort of what is shown in these CoverGirl ads. Boldness and
indivuality is beautiful…but only when wearing CoverGirl makeup.
Works Cited:
Taylor Swift Ad, Advertisement #1
"Celebrity Ads - 9/2012."
September 2012 Fashion Magazine Celebrity Endorsement Advertisements,
Celebrity Endorsed Products, Celebrity Ads. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.
Katy Perry Ad, Advertisement #2
Panych, Sophia. "Allure
Exclusive: CoverGirl's Newest Launches Will Change Your Makeup Game: Daily
Beauty Reporter." N.p., 14 Apr. 2015. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.
Red, White, and Beautiful ad,
Advertisement #3
"Ashley Wagner and Gracie
Gold's Stunning Winter Olympics CoverGirl Ads | Women's Style's
FrontPage." IPick.ca. N.p., 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 07 Nov. 2015.
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