From reading Samea’s week 2 response, I learned I make natural decisions by using rhetorical analysis, such as choosing a professor from rating my professor. What are other ways you used rhetorical analysis outside of school?
From reading Harin’s week 2 response, I learned rhetorical analysis is decisions we choose by what’s most comfortable or convenient to us. For example, the classroom seats concept Harin stated, I can admit that I like to sit in the back seat of the classroom because that is what is most convenient when I want to be unbothered. Are there examples of rhetorical analysis you have outside of school?
My audience was targeted students who are minorities who ever felt lost in their own community. I tailored my language and rhetorical choices to appeal to them by sharing the stress I endured during my trip. The meaningful insight I gained through writing this assignment is learning to write in the first-person point of view at a specific moment. The purpose of my writing impacted my learning and my writing because It reminds me to stay on track and find new ideas on the subject I’m writing about.
Their smiles burst as they ran into the playground. Innocence is showing at its finest. Then a gunshot is heard in the air a split second later. They duck down, trembling in fear, wondering if this is their last day. The world is not perfect for kids. When they do not have a home or a role model to rely on, the children have no choice, instead to adapt to the dreadful environment. Youth Violence has been a problem everywhere and brings disappointment and fear to families. School shootings, bullying, abuse, and gangs are examples of how this has not changed. Some people believe solving violence is doomed, but slowly we can protect these kids from the consequences of violence by finding the root of the problem and telling solutions.
The first cause of youth violence is the community in which kids live. Communities influence youth on their values and the decisions they make in life. Halliday and Graham state, “Adolescents who were exposed to higher levels of community violence also engaged in higher levels of violent activity, associated with more deviant peers, and adhered more strongly to an aggressive cognitive style” (396). A quote like this supports my thesis since it explains that children who live in violent areas can get involved in the wrong friendship groups and be more aggressive. Therefore, living in a poor neighborhood is one of the many causes of youth violence.
Similarly, to the environment, home is as important as well, and parental guidance needs to be used right. Therefore, having a bad role model to look up to can direct violent behavior. “One certain pathway is through modeling: When children are exposed to violence in the home, they come to see violence as relatively more acceptable, and they are more likely to resort to violence to solve problems. This is often referred to as the “cycle of violence,” and there is good evidence that the acceptability of violence in interpersonal relationships is often carried from one generation to the next” (Steinberg 5). Exposure to violence can guide the children to associate violent behavior to be taken advantage of and create a generational cycle for the family.
The second cause of youth violence is the influence and dangers of social media. Social media platforms are to be taken with caution; it can be dangerous for free access to children to the internet. “With this in mind, the fact that many young people’s accounts contained material that reflects negative views of the police is troubling. Photos and videos of police officers accompanied by expletives and derogatory text were common features of content on platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Periscope” (Irwin et al 18). In this case, social media, unlike the news spread negative content about police officers, and with the influence and gained sense of community people followed others to create riots and it turned into a mess. It is good to educate younger kids about the world, but the abundance of hatred and violence in the world can be too much for a child and it can change their perspective of the world and feel like the world is against them.
The third cause of youth violence is bullying, specifically in schools. This controversial topic needs to be discussed, as many school shootings occurred, and many lives were lost. It is important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and find what led to this. “Bullies may bully people who are doing better than them at something, be it grades or athletic accomplishments or promotions at work. The bullies look to undermine the other person’s skills with acts of aggression only to level the playing field. Bullies often lack psychological well-being, so there’s a lot of comparison being done in their heads, and that leads to frustration and envy” (The 6 main causes of bullying and what to do about it). As you can see, bullying can be a form of projection of their internal battles. Without love and understanding from parents at home, they project their frustration onto others.
There is a solution to the effect of a negative environment and home life of youth violence. Considering to looking deeper into a different approach might be a better solution, “Accordingly, the interventions that are most likely to be effective may be those that go beyond the trauma-focused approach and address any comorbid problems as well as the broader contextual contributors to community violence exposure. With interventions occurring at individual, family, peer, school, and neighborhood levels, a treatment like multisystemic therapy may be helpful in this regard (Halliday-Boykins & Henggeler, in press)” (Halliday et al 399). As mentioned earlier, multisystemic therapy, an intensive treatment process that focuses on diagnosed behavioral disorders and environmental systems that affect a person’s involvement, can help create better solutions for the environment and homes. Therefore, eventually, help the children from violent exposure and abuse going on at home.
There is a solution to the second cause of youth violence, social media. To get rid of the influence and consequences of social media, it is necessary for parents to learn the media and how to navigate the internet. “In addition to training for professionals, the Home Office should develop online resources for parents and carers which explain the basics of the main social media platforms and highlight the importance of oversight of young people’s and children’s activity on social media” (Irwin 32). By giving resources for parents to learn the basic knowledge of the media, they can have control over the exposure their child sees in the media and parents can inform their child about it.
There is a solution to the third cause of youth violence, bullying. Bullying is a problem inside many external and internal problems. One of the many solutions to bullying is helping bullies develop positive coping mechanisms for their anger, “This approach also provides information about violence, seeks to change the way youth think and feel about violence, and provides opportunities to practice and reinforce skills. The content and format of skill development programs vary depending on the model being utilized. These school-based approaches often include guidance to teachers and other school personnel on ways to build youth’s skills, monitor, and manage behavior, and build a positive school climate to reduce aggression and violence, such as bullying, and support academic success” (David-Ferdon, C., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Dahlberg, L. L., Marshall, K. J., Rainford, N. & Hall, J. E. (2016). A Comprehensive Technical Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Associated Risk Behaviors. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 21). To reduce bullying and help children succeed, universal school-based programs can guide them with compassion and non-judgment.
As a result, youth violence exists all over the world, and the issue needs to be addressed thoroughly. I believe the evidence I used supports my thesis and the idea that youth violence has developed due to other factors. To reduce youth violence, it is important to decide the root causes and use these different approaches and start acting. How would you like to reduce youth violence? Which solution would be most effective?
Their smiles burst as they run into the playground. Innocence is showing at its finest. Then a gunshot is heard in the air a split second later. They duck down, trembling in fear, wondering if this is their last day. The world is not perfect for kids. When they don’t have a home or a role model to rely on, the children have no choice, instead to adapt to the dreadful environment. Youth Violence has been a problem everywhere and brings disappointment and fear to families. School shootings, bullying, abuse, and gangs are examples of how this has not changed. Some people believe solving violence is doomed, but slowly we can protect these kids from the consequences of violence by finding the root of the problem and stating solutions.
The first cause of youth violence is are with the community in which kids live. Communities influence youth on their values and the decisions they make in life. Halliday and Graham state, “Adolescents who were exposed to higher levels of community violence also engaged in higher levels of violent activity, associated with more deviant peers, and adhered more strongly to an aggressive cognitive style” (396). A quote like this supports my thesis since it explains that children who live in violent areas can get involved in the wrong friendship groups and be more aggressive. Therefore, living in a poor neighborhood is one of the many causes of youth violence.
3rd paragraph: causes- home
Intro= Similarly to the environment, home is as important as well, and parental guidance is needed to be used right. Therefore, having a bad role model to look up to can direct violent behavior.
“One certain pathway is through modeling: When children are exposed to violence in the home, they come to see violence as relatively more acceptable, and they are more likely to resort to violence to solve problems. This is often referred to as the “cycle of violence,” and there is good evidence that the acceptability of violence in interpersonal relationships is often carried from one generation to the next.” (Steinberg 5)
Further explanation on why it supports your thesis
4th paragraph: causes- social media
Introducing statement
“With this in mind, the fact that many young people’s accounts contained material that reflects negative views of the police is troubling. Photos and videos of police officers accompanied by expletives and derogatory text were common features of content on platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Periscope” (Irwin and Pinkey 18)
Explanation
5th paragraph: bullying
Introducing statement
Quote
Explanation
6th paragraph= solutions to environment/ home life
Introducing statement
Quote
Explanation
7th paragraph= solutions to social media
Introducing statement
Quote
Explanation
8th paragraph= solutions to mental health/bullying
A language does not define an individual; it separates them from their cultural community. As childhood emerged, my extended Dominican family made me proud of my heritage and culture. Yet, language was something that made me feel like an outcast within my community. As a Spanish speaker, a lack of knowledge of my native language kept me from deeper connections and building close relationships with my family and Spanish kids my age. As a result of these judgments, I began to doubt my ethnicity.
An article showing Hispanics questioning themselves due to their lack of native language:
In New York City, I live in a Hispanic-populated community. As a result, I deal with the disadvantages of my Spanish-speaking every day. For example, when I have to translate for my mom, I get anxious because I’m not giving the proper translation from both ends, which leads to confusion and mix-ups. In Washington Heights, a stranger can come to me asking for directions in Spanish. I don’t dare to help them.
Based on my resume, it can be troubling because I can’t consider myself bilingual due to my issue and past occasions. Therefore, I don’t put it in my skills section. As looking for a job, I question whether a manager can rely on me, so I don’t try to apply for jobs for bilinguals, which have more options and pay.
The Dominican Republic was the destination for a month-long visit of my family last year. Since I hadn’t been there in years, I was excited to return to my home country. As we landed, nervousness set in. It was overwhelming to experience such a different environment, climate, and language. We got to our temporary apartment and went to a mall in the city. As a first-time restaurant customer in the country, I ordered several times because the worker was confused. My embarrassment took over after that because I tried to mask myself as a native but failed miserably.
During our trip, we slept over at the family’s house. I found communicating with them challenging, but they were extremely friendly and tried their best to make me feel at home. At the local park, my aunt and I went for a walk. Our conversation focused on my plans for college and my future career. Despite my broken Spanish, I remember being able to converse comfortably. Also, I learned more about the country. The grocery store is called Colmado, Soda is called Refresco, and my favorite fast food to buy is Pica Pollo, which is fried chicken with a side. My Spanish improved and somehow made me feel I belonged here. My family’s connections and the learning opportunities I encountered during the trip did not get deterred by the language barrier.
My Spanish does not make me any less Hispanic. When I visited people from the country, I learned that my fear isn’t as big as I had thought. During those memorable experiences, I realized I still belong in my community no matter what. I own my truth and continue to learn and love my heritage. I grew more confident in my speaking ability and developed the courage to step out of my comfort zone and try speaking with people even if it seemed daunting.
Rhetorical Analysis of the song “Gasoline” by The Weekend
The Weekend used ethos in the lines “And I love it when you watch me sleep/ You spin me ’round so I can breathe /It’s only safe for you and me/ I know you won’t let me OD”. The purpose of the author’s writing is for the audience to understand his actions as to why he is staying in the relationship. In addition to his partner watching him sleep, he feels safe and comfortable with her, as she saves him from overdosing on drugs. The intended audience is people who have not lived that addictive lifestyle. The context influenced the author to persuade the audience of the benefits he gets from the drugs and the relationship.
The phrase “It’s 5 AM” of the two verses contains an anaphora. The purpose of the weekend is to show his addiction is causing him to get high over and over again to cope with his pain. The intended audience for this is people who live this lifestyle, helping others to understand the consequences of this bad habit. The setting influenced the author to make these choices in the 80s when pop music and dancing were popular, the author wants to show the behind the senses or impact the lifestyle can take you.
Pathos is used in the line “And if I finally die in peace/ Just wrap my body in these sheets (Sheets)/ And pour out the gasolinе/ It don’t mean much to me”. In my opinion, this makes the audience sympathize with the weekend due to their lack of concern for death. “The only thing I understand is the zero-sum of tenderness” also contains pathos. Despite not receiving any reward in the relationship, this line can evoke empathy for the partner as it is one-sided. The purpose of this is to show the overwhelming effect it brings to the partner. In order to address people who are in co-dependent relationships and are often the fixers, the author clearly shows the audience who are fixers that this is not love, it’s unhealthy, and it’s not worth fixing your partner in the end.
How do we associate good and bad writing in a technology-based generation? Since we have improved our ways of writing and finally accepted technology into our writing, what are the new rules on what constitutes a good piece of writing?
Rhetorical analysis is to understand a way to convince others visually, aurally, textual, or through sensory interpretation. There are three methods I use rhetorical analysis in my everyday life. My first method of using rhetorical analysis is through interviews. I assert that I am a responsible person who takes her work seriously. I put on my button-collared shirt with my trousers to persuade my interviewer as a potential candidate to hire. By sitting up correctly and talking confidently, I show my interviewer that I am confident and can be a good employee. To get them intrigued, I use words such as efficiency, and understanding, and positively explain my weaknesses at the workplace. My second method of using rhetorical analysis is through convincing. For example, I convinced my friend to listen to a new pop artist I found. I influenced her by explaining that she is an artist that brings confidence to her listeners and cares about self-love and acceptance. I showed a few of her songs and explained the message behind her song and music video. Therefore, I encourage my friend how the artist stands out in the music industry. Also, I demonstrate that the pop genre can bring a message, such as the RNB genre or Rap. My third method of using rhetorical analysis is through social media. For example, on my Facebook, the pictures are of me and family members outside. Through these pictures, people can assume I am a family person; I am a very outgoing and social person. My social media can influence my friend requests or determines who will approach me to be friends and who won’t. Almost all of my Instagram followers are fashion pages or college students. They are adults with many accomplishments. My following can tell people that I like fashion, I have goals and am working toward them, and I am pursuing a college degree.
I have read Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, “When Your Grades Are Based on Labor”, and the Labor Log in two hours. The takeaway I got from the text understanding rhetoric is the influence outside factors play on writing. Such as, questioning what audience the author wants to target and the message it is portraying. The takeaway I got from the second text is next time I take risks in my writing or in other words try something new to help improve my writing.
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