Hey 4U1!
Here's the question for your first blogging assignment. Remember to offer 5-8 sentences in your well considered response.
Identify an essay we read in class that you think is effective, and explain how the author makes his/her case in a convincing manner.
58 comments:
We read an essay called The Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. I found it most effective and persuasive. It is a cause and effect essay. The author of the essay explains the significance of fast food in America and its effect on the people. The author firstly explains the cause of the rise of fast food restaurants in America. According to him after the rise in rate of inflation more and more Americans work extra hours, so they don’t have time for home-made food and they therefore prefer readymade fast foods which are cheap as well as less time consuming. In this way America experienced a huge rise in fast foods restaurants by the end of 20th century.
The effects that were shown by the author were realistic. He linked obesity which is one of the biggest problems in Americans, as a cause of too much consumption of fast food. He said that, ‘it seems wherever America's fast food chains go, waistlines inevitably start expanding’.
The reasons and examples given by the author were very convincing and that is why I liked this essay the most.
I found the essay, “The 51% Minority” effective mainly because of its irony and comparative analysis. Doris Anderson argues that women are routinely discriminated against by comparing women to other minorities such as African-Americans and Quebeckers. She points out that women waitresses and sales clerks often earn less than males doing the same job. Ironically, women are not even a minority, but we see them that way because the government doesn’t attempt to rectify the issue. The irony of the title has a very strong effect on the reader since it provides the statistics that 51% of people in America are women; however they are nonetheless perceived as minorities.
I think the essay “It’s Only a Paper World” by Kathleen Fury is very effective because of her use of classification as an organizational pattern to compare the different types of office workers. Kathleen Fury argues that the computer age did not create a paperless office but that offices now have more paper than ever before. She makes her case in a convincing manner by using animal analogies to compare the unique ways the different individuals in an office ecosystem deal with paper. She describes how the beavers and squirrels hoard paper whereas the crows destroy it and the bees distribute it. By using animals to classify the different types of individuals in an office, Fury clearly and successfully shows her readers how individuals have unique ways to deal with a paper filled world.
The essay that I believed to be most effective in its argument is titled "Barbie and her Playmates" by Don Richard Cox. I found this cause and effect essay was easy to understand because of the way the author organized and presented his ideas. He begins by introducing readers to the splendour of Barbie, aiding us to envision what the author describes as her "miniature utopia" of luxury. The essay's points flow from one to another, eventually reaching the final conclusion of the basic effect that Barbie has had on the generation of youngsters and the phenomena of pop culture. Yet, in each of his points he reiterates what was stated in the thesis, this repetition emphasizing each addition of logic to argumentation. The variety of consumer products (mainly Barbie themed) linked with the changes observed in children's behaviour over time supports his thesis again and again. Overall, I think this essay was effective in its argument because it was well constructed, organized, and the purpose of his essay was made very clear.
I think that the essay "A Nice Place to Visit" by Russell Baker was effective in delivering its case that Toronto was better than New York City through the presence of various persuasive techniques. Immediately noticeable was the use of satire throughout the essay. At first glance, it looked as if Baker said that New York was better, but a closer look into the essay actually showed that he though that Toronto was a much better city; Baker simply took the negative aspects of New York and put a positive spin on them to give New York an "edge" over Toronto. The satire also provided the humour for the essay. Baker also provided many examples to help prove his point, such as New York's lack of courtesy, the cleanliness of Toronto' subway, and the lack of littering in Toronto. Furthermore, Baker used quite a bit of hyperbole to emphasize the difference between New York and Toronto, with the hyperbole working to the advantage of Toronto (i.e. calling Toronto's subway "spotlessly clean"). The combination of satire, examples, and hyperbole not only made the essay humourous, but also convincing, which is why I believe that this essay was effective.
An effective essay we read in class was ‘Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal’ by Eric Schlosser. This essay was effective because in the introduction, he talks about the Cheyenne Mountains and how it’s a top secret combat operation centre with so much security, fifteen hundred people work in it and powerful the place is. After stating all of that, which was more than a page, he tells us that deliveryman can come in to the place with pizza and fast food which is really ironic. He then makes it humorous by saying that when archaeologists will come to the place after it has been discovered, all they will find, other than the necessary equipment, will be the wrappers of the fast food. He exaggerates the fact that fast food is easily available by giving us a long list of all the places we can find it. Another effective point he used was using facts. For example he tells us that people spent $110 billion dollars on fast food in 2001 compared to $6 billion in 1970. Overall, a lot of effective techniques were used to make the essay powerful.
An essay I think the most effective from what we read in class is “Barbie and Her Playmates” by Don Richard Cox. I find this essay effective because of the techniques the author has used to show the cause and the effects in the essay. By comparing the Barbie doll with the “Baby” doll and the real world with the Barbie world, he makes his points strong, clear and easy to understand. With stating how the Barbie’s world does not have high schools, colleges or universities or any other accessories related to education, he shows that the Barbie’s world keeps her playmates away from seeing the importance of education. Also how he talks about Ken-Barbie’s boyfriend, her friends and having no parents, leads the children to believe in a freedom and happiness of life that does not exist in real world. Much more, mentioning about the baby doll and how the baby doll acts in a positive way leading the child to play the role of a mother while Barbie having no positive effects other than concerning about fashion, freedom, dating and enjoying the teen life is a strong comparison made in the essay. Use of points like these mentioned above has thoroughly explained the cause and the effects in the essay making it effective and powerful.
In my opinion, I believe the essay, "Barbie and Her Playmates" written by Don Richard Cox was well done. Don Richard Cox stated the cause and effect to Barbie's imaginary life towards young girls. For example, Cox mentioned as one of his points that Barbie's attractiveness and her work-free zone she has everyday of her life, creates a misunderstanding of how a typical teenage girl's life would be. Another method Cox has used was to compare Barbie with another doll, known as the "Baby Doll". Cox has used this comparison to prove that Barbie's existence has changed the view of older woman. Cox also supported his thesis by mentioning the difference between G.I. Joe's impact towards young males with Barbie's impact towards young females. To conclude, Don Richard Cox's essay was very effective because of his use of examples to support his points.
The essay that I found to be most effective was “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal” by Eric Schlosser. This was an effective cause and effect essay because the author starts off by talking about how Cheyenne Mountain was chosen as a top secret combat operations center. He described how powerful it was when it came to national security, and then goes onto say how a Domino’s deliveryman drops off his pizzas every night, which is a good form of irony. He also adds humor by saying that if Armageddon were to arrive, future archaeologists may find Big King wrappers, and other fast food wrappers as clues to the nature of our civilization. He uses a lot of facts throughout his essay which is very effective and makes his case more convincing. For instance, he tells us that a generation ago, 75% of the money used to buy food in the US was spent to prepare meals at home. Today, 50% of the money used to buy food in the US is spent at restaurants, mainly fast food. Overall, I think this essay was very effective, because it was organized, humorous, and had strong irony.
The most effective essay read in class was "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal," written by Eric Schlosser. This cause and effect essay outlines the reasons why the fast food industry is so dominate in the United States of America and the negative impact it has on many different aspects of the people's lives. The well-written introduction describes Cheyenne Mountain, a scenic area near Colorado Springs with a top-secret and secure underground military base where fast food is part of the daily routine. If ever there were a nuclear attack or the end of the world came, takeout containers would be the only remains left in the base, symbolizing culture in the United States. The author then states and explains the causes of the sudden growth of the fast food industry within the country, attributing it to social, economic and technological factors and the negative effects the changes have on people and the environment. A variety of facts, statistics, images, and words are used to support the presented ideas. All the arguments and persuasive techniques strengthen the author's thesis and convinces the reader to agree with it, making the essay effective.
The essay, Am I Blue? by Alice Walker, to me was very effective in comparing animals’ torture with of African Americans during slavery. Blue’s loneliness, sadness and feelings are presented anthropomorphically in a way that it appeals to an emotional side of the reader. Also Walker’s use of juxtaposing Blue, the horse’s name, on a white horse, which we have come to think of as a symbol of freedom, brings emphasis on the character. Animals are, “mere images,” she says that are displayed for us for our pleasure, when we ourselves have no idea what struggles they go through. The significance of comparing Blue with early African Americans is it builds her main argument; slaves were sold, killed, abused and hated, however, much of that still happens to animal. Her factual arguments strengthen her essay in a way that even if Blue were made up the argument would still be appealing to the reader.
In my opinion “The 51-Per-Cent Minority” was the most successful in presenting its persuasive arguments. It is written as a compare and contrast essay which I found enabled the arguments to be very clear and concise. It was easy to identify the thesis and the rationale behind the issue. There was a presence of both induction and deduction, though the deduction was overpowering. The irony of the title also had a powerful effect, as it emphasized the unusual prospect of a majority’s struggle to be valued. The arguments circulate around the idea that though many prejudices have been bypassed and are now regarded with disgust, the same treatment of women is deemed normal. Anderson then provides a burst of evidence to justify her position. One idea that was exceptionally convincing was her look at how women contribute equal work to companies and organizations yet their salary on average, is still less than a man’s. The essay was structurally organized to best present the arguments and evidence, all with an overdose of irony, making it the most compelling essay out of all the selections.
Of all the essays read in class, I found the essay entitled “A Nice Place to Visit” by Russell Baker to be most effective. What made this essay effective was how the author used irony. For example, I quote: “The subway, on which Toronto prides itself, was a laughing imitation of the real thing. The subway cars were not only spotlessly clean, but also fully illuminated. So were the stations. To New Yorkers, it was embarrassing...” Because the irony employed in the essay is humorous, the audience was all at once seeing through the perspective of the writer while being entertained by this literary device. As a result, this entertainment value garners immediate interest in the reader, inducing them to pay apt attention to each argument he presents. While the reader is fully engaged, Russell Baker continues to argue every point quickly and concisely with the same ironic humor in every argument to follow. In doing this he is able to capture the reader’s full attention at all times and leaves no gaps to allow you to think of counter arguments, and thus have you willingly convinced.
I think the essay, “Barbie and her Playmates,” written by Don Richard Cox, was the most effective essay we read in class, as it was very well organized, and straight to the point. Barbie, being one of the biggest trendsetting dolls of the twentieth century, was created to represent attractive teenage girls with a large wardrobe. The way, in which Cox wrote his essay, it was very easy to understand his concept of how Barbie and her playmates greatly affect the attitudes and behavior of young girls’ world wide. Cox mentions the responsible-free life Barbie lives, without parents and siblings, along with the excessive amount of accessories that, of course, Barbie could afford with her well-paying job.
Free from school, employment and responsibilities, Barbie’s life is just one long vacation, that she spends hanging out with her friends, including her boyfriend, Ken, and is able to dance, ski, swim, skate or do whatever she pleases. From the in depth explanation that Cox provides us with in this essay, it is quite clear that his argument towards Barbie, being a role model for young girls, is a very factual essay providing the audience with loads of information. With the evidence, like mentioned above, I found this essay to be very effective.
The essay we read in class “Am I Blue” by African-American writer Alice Walker is the most effective essay. It is a comparison and contrast essay. I found it most effective because it compares the life of the horse “blue” with the life of the “Black” slaves, in a very interesting and unusual manner. She starts of by introducing the horse named “Blue” as a kind, lonely and a boring horse. She introduces the horse in a way that creates sympathy and love towards him. She then slowly drives the reader's attention by explainig the cause of his boringness and loneliness, and moves on to explaining how the injustice and cruelty had turned him to, what he is now? She conveys her high regard on animal rights through the use of many different rhetorical devices such as personification, irony, description, metaphor and analogy. She uses many different examples that are very effective and are specific to the topic, in explaining how white people used to treat black people as animals as now we treat animals as animals. For eaxmple she uses the eample of the children riding at the back of the Blue and then not be seen again for a month or so to the "mammy" (a slave black woman). The title of the essay “Am I Blue” also has a significance as it creats sympathy towards the black people and animals, becasue she herself is a black women and by quetioning the reader she really tells the reader how sad she feels for the black people and for that horse. I really liked the ending of the essay when she refuses to eat the misery, and how she takes a control over the reader’s emotions and never loses it throughout the essay.
soThe essay that caught my attention while reading in class was the "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal", which is written by Eric Schlosser. This essay is a cause and effect essay. The author uses emphasis in this essay. Eric uses emphasis by informing us that fast food is un-healthy and it is the major cause for the economy to decrease due to people buying fast food everyday of their lives. This effects the essay by having patty and by understanding what is really going on in today's society, it makes me think. I was fascinated by this essay because; it explains true facts about fast food in the United States and what really happens to people when they eat it. The author starts off by explaining how the numbers have increased due to those who purchase fast food every day. Then he begins to talk about why the numbers have increased, he proves his point by telling us that it is due to people having jobs and not having enough time to cook, which than leads them into buying fast food to fulfill their hunger. The author than talks about how America's fast food chains are spreading around the world which then leads to obesity. The way the author put together this essay and expanded on his points got my attention, which is why I decided to use this essay as an example.
I think that the essay “Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser seemed very interesting to me. I think that people, including myself, have been eating fast food every since we are adolescence. For me to read this essay now really opened my mind about first what I have been eating for years and second what it has done to our economy and our health. This essay uncovers the truth behind fast food and how it came to dominate the world. Eric Schlosser examples the effects that a lot of what is consumed by the nation today is fast food, due to the fact that many Americans are constantly on the go that they end up
neglecting their diet. Most of those unhealthy diets can have a long term negative effect on people and can cause serious illnesses such as respiratory problems, and worse of all obesity which has become a nationwide epidemic. Schlosser then reveals that most meatpacking industries are overlooked by federal authority, which can only mean that we never know what kind of bacteria lies in the food we eat. The reasons and facts provided from author were some what mind-blowing and that is why I find this essay convincing.
In my opinion, the most effective essay I read in class is “ Barbie and Her Playmates” by Don Richard Cox. In his essay he uses Barbie as the cause, and the effect this doll has on the young girls’ minds. For example he mentions that Barbie does not have a job, and yet she posses many expensive accessories, and clothes. He also states that Barbie has no responsibilities, does not go to high school (or university), and she has a boyfriend that she can be with anytime and anywhere. He clearly leads us to the idea that when young girls play with Barbie, in their minds they create a false image of how the life of a typical teenage girl should be like. When these young girls grow up, they would be shocked when they realize that the image they created of how their lives would be like is untrue. Barbie also might have an impact of how the young children want their lives to be like when they grow up. Just like their favourite idol, those young girls will dream about having a profession of their interest when they grow up. Don Richard Cox proved his points by using multiple examples. This is a well-done essay because it is short, right to the point. This essay is effective, because the author states the effects that the Barbie doll has on young girls, and these facts are true, and we see them in young girls today.
The most affectictve essay that we read in class was am I blue? by alice walker, because it gives us great illustrations, personification and socially thought provoking analogies to build emotional sentiment for the author's central ideas and effectively persuade you to see the author's point of view. She incorporates her techniques so well that one is left with an entirely new. Walker provides the information that animals are not human; nevertheless, they still preserve the attributes that are the essential elements that make a person alive and able to feel love, pain, despair, and lonesome. Walker uses personification to demonstrate the similar characteristics and expressions animals have that are similar to humans. Reading the essay it becomes gradually apparent that this it is not the fairy-tale it deceptively appears to be, but a voice of anger and concern for the solitude and isolation that blacks, women and animals endured. Blue, like his name suggests is a depressed. Those examples and the techniciques that the author used wrer convincing and attracticng the readers.
Out of all the essays we read in class, the one that caught my attention the most would be "Fast Food Nation" written by Eric Schlosser. He indicates that many of us today, we eat fast food so much, that we don't notice what it actually does to our bodies and our economy. Fast food is making us unhealthy, each and everytime we eat more of it. Some people caught a serious illness from just eating certain types of fast food. Mainly the meats, that we don't really know how well they process it, or if there's any bacteria on the meat.Not to mention they also become obese, meaning that they can't stay healthy any longer, and wont excercise anylonger. Reading this essay, made me worry for myself and my health. It makes you realize first, how unhealthy you are, and second what could happen to your body if you continue to eat fast food.
The Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All- American Meal by Eric schlosser. It was founded to be very effective and persuasive by me. In this piece of essay, the author explains how fast food has caused many effects on America and on its population. Obesity is one of the largest issues in America, as a result of taking in too much fast food. He explains how an industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in southern california has spread to every corner of the nation, selling a braod rang of foods where paying customers may be found, which is indeed true. The author also makes the point clear about how the growth of the fast food nation industry has brought many fundamental changes in American society. He gets humurous at the point where he tells us about the survey of American schoolchildren found that 96 percent could identity Ronald McDonald. The only Fictional character with a higher degree of recognition was Santa claus. I found and liked this essay because of the facts and exmaples that were provided in this essay by the author.
The descriptions of Barbie and the empire that was created by consumerism was necessary to explain the author's point however there was a feeling of overwhelm with the large amounts of information that was communicated at times. This left the readers with the question "what is the point?". The author decided to focus on the industry of Barbie and other characters of the same line of production since they are the pioneers of the consumer products that are supposedly destroying our society. However, if not Barbie and her playmates, would something else just take its place? If it were not Barbie, couldn't it have been any other product that attracts the younger consumer group? Therefore, why blame Barbie and her playmates, and not just consumerism in general for the destruction of our values and beliefs? Barbie is symbolic for the effects of consumerism on our culture, or more specifically, the effects on the younger population of our society. Children and teenagers are being exposed to consumerism at a much younger age than 50 years ago, and this will only enforce their materialistic values as they grow up. However, our economy will simply collapse without consumerism; so obviously there is a dilemma on our hands. Thus, this piece illustrates a very valid problem in our society.
I think the essay “Am I blue” by Alice Walker is a very effective essay. The author started out illustrating her opinion on animals right which led to human rights and the back to the changes she has made and continue to make based on these realizations. She used literary devices like personification to elicit compassion and empathy from the readers. She pointed out the flaws of humans through the eyes of a horse (an animal). She painted as innocent exposed to the ugliness of the human race. An interesting point that she brought out was that the way these animals are treated are really no different than the way we treat other humans who are inferior to us, and this is something we are taught as kinds, we are told that this type of behaviour is acceptable. Now that human rights have improved, we should try to treat animals better because animals equal or maybe even equal to humans. And that is the point the author was trying to get across.
The essay that appealed to me the most was “The 51- Percent Minority,” by Doris Anderson. Anderson organizes this comparison and contrast essay by writing it not only in point form, but also in block format. As a result of this effective essay structure, readers are able to easily identify the author’s argument: Women are seen as a minority regardless of the fact that the majority of Canada’s population is female. However, she does not mention any discrimination towards women until halfway through the essay; she instead starts by identifying different sources of discrimination, for example, being left-handed, a doctor, a black person, and lastly being a Catholic. This technique grabbed the readers’ attention by connecting them with at least one other societal problem and leading them to read further into the essay before introducing the idea of gender inequality. She provides irony in the title of the essay and leaves the reader questioning why “women workers earn, on average, only 64 cents for every $1 a man gets”. This inequality has always existed but it is time to eradicate this problem once and for all, one step at a time. Through Doris Anderson’s comparative analysis and excellent writing techniques, she conveys to the audience that 51 percent of women is not a minority.
In my opinion, the most effective essay read in class was “The 51-Per-Cent Minority” by Doris Anderson. This comparison and contrast essay identifies the horrible yet real issue that is discrimination against women today in Canada. Within her essay, Anderson uses irony, analogies and repetition in order to communicate to the reader that women are discriminated against and treated as a minority because of the government and their unwillingness to resolve the situation. The titled itself is interesting and draws upon irony to catch the reader’s attention, relating the ideas of how women make up 51% of the population but are nonetheless treated as minorities. Analogies are also used in the essay, comparing the issue at hand to other dreadful circumstances, helping the audience to see the injustice that is placed on women everyday. In addition to the use of analogies, Anderson uses a significant number of them forming a repetition to further their effect. As a result, the reader is compelled to agree with the writer’s overall argument. Through the use of irony, analogies and repetition, Anderson is successful in using these literary devices to illustrate her point in a convincing manner.
The essay, ‘The 51% Minority’ by Doris Anderson was an effective essay because the structure of humorous irony and comparing was intriguing. In the beginning, Anderson stated many known minorities being discriminated around the world but her one argument was the fact that women have, and are currently still being discriminated against. She makes the comparison that if the same roles and treatment put upon a female were put on any other person (particularly male) it would be a completely wrong. She draws questions to the way our society works in the pressure of women’s roles in society. The biggest irony of all that can be seen in this essay is the title. Fifty-one percent is obviously not a minority, it is the majority. So she draws attention to the ironic fact that women are being treated as minorities, when they are in reality, the majority. All of Doris’ comparing is showing the injustice toward the value of women. All in all, this was a very convincing essay because Doris uses the syllogism or the argument of deduction in showing the fact that if the acts toward a woman are unacceptable to minorities/men, therefore this role is unacceptable to women - who are not even minorities.
It is not only because of Suzuki’s prestige in the environmental field that makes his essay “Hidden Lessons” extremely effective, but it is also because of his use of persuasive methods such as choice of words, examples, repetition, emotional appeal and encouragement. By carefully choosing words, Suzuki captures his readers’ attention and emphasizes his feelings. For example, Suzuki describes his disgust for chemicals using strong words such as “poisoned”, “arsenal” and “weapons”. In addition to using strong words, Suzuki provides facts to convince readers. Suzuki states “When famine and drought struck, our numbers fell accordingly”. This proof frightens the readers and further manipulates them. Not only does Suzuki use words and examples to capture his reader’s attention, but he also uses repetition to emphasize his argument. Suzuki repeats the word “the” in paragraph eight which emphasizes the beauty of nature and allows the reader to appreciate it. Even though Suzuki uses various methods in order to persuade his readers, the most effective one is emotional appeal. Throughout his essay, Suzuki talks about his seven and three year old daughters to manipulate the reader’s feelings. When Suzuki quotes his daughter; “Daddy…” it emphasizes Suzuki’s point that children are indeed innocent and adults influence them to think of nature as an enemy. Suzuki further grasps the readers’ attention by informing them that even though he loves nature, there have been times where he has been disgusted by it. However, his disgust has not prevented him from teaching his children to appreciate nature. This encourages the reader and persuades them even further. By the end of the essay, because of Suzuki’s persuasion, the reader feels obliged to save the environment, teach their children the “hidden lessons” and love nature, making Suzuki’s essay strong and his lesson hard to forget.
The essay which is most effective I think it should be "Barbie and Her Playmates". The author not only wants to express how Barbie dolls effect economy, but also wants to explain how Barbie dolls effect young girls' lives.
As a kind of toys, Barbie is one of the most popular. She brings Disney lots benifits. She is almost50 years old. She can live in this cruel and competitive invigorative world so long, it is not hard to conclude that she is really different from other "normal" toys. The author hope reader to understand that Barbie is not merely for businiss, why she is popular still now has the reason. When girls are young, they always have their beautiful dreams. But they are too young to achive their dreams, then Barbie occurs. they have different works, friends, even a boyfriend. She doesn't need to worry about her money. This is a kind of ideal life. It hardly happens in the really world. This is the other point author want to express. The author compares Barbie with other dolls, so it is easy to find why Barbie is special.
The author gives specific reasons to cause Barbie popular, and this why i believe this eaasy is the best cause and effect one.
The essay that was the most effective for me is “Am I Blue” by Alice Walker. The author used several literary devices to explain her argument that African-Americans were not looked upon as people but merely as objects that did not have any importance or self respect. They were used when needed but they were never understood as people; no one cared about their feelings and no one looked in their eyes to understand their pain. She explains that the kids living near by would ride Blue for 10-15 minutes and when they were done with him, they would get off him until the next time he was needed. By using this example she explains how the African-Americans were used only when they were needed and then either disregarded, thrown or forgotten when their use was done. She used juxtaposition to put together the image of a white horse whose name is Blue to create a level of understanding between the meanings of these colors. The color white represents innocence, independence/freedom and happiness, while the color blue represents sadness and loneliness. This horse whose name was Blue was never happy; he wasn’t independent and was without a companion. Alice Walker’s ideas moved me, and impacted me greatly. Her ideas were realistic even though the character was fictional and since she herself is an African American, she understood the harm done to her people. It is amazing how Alice Walker can take a real historic event, compare it to a seemingly unimportant topic like the life of a horse to symbolize a dark chapter in history, and prove her point to the readers. This not only requires skills and talent but also courage, which can be seen with this essay.
I found the essay “The 51-per-cent Minority” a very effective one in the way Doris Anderson captures the reader’s attention, and allows for a thought provoking process in her introductory statements. In the first nine paragraphs, several examples of minority groups are introduced with numerous discriminatory statements that went along with them. She then conveys that those statements were regarded in a very negative sense when addressing minorities such as black people or Quebeckers, but not when inflicted upon women. A very prime example was that women earn less than males doing the same job. The organization of the essay was clear and effective in the way it compared the position that men and women hold in our society. Along with that, the use of irony in the title had a very strong effect, showing the struggle of a majority to satisfy their rights of equality. With her excellent comparative analysis and exceptional use of ironic messages, Anderson made this essay a greatly persuasive one.
An essay we read in class that I found particularly effective was Doris Anderson’s “The 51-Per-Cent Minority”. In this compare and contrast essay Anderson effectively compares women with other minority groups such as Quebeckers and Catholics to prove that women are commonly treated as a minority in society, often being seen as the inferior sex to males. Irony is a powerful technique used in this essay, as seen clearly in the title itself, where women who make up more than half of the American population are still considered and very much treated as a minority. Furthermore, the essay is organized into a block style with ideas clearly presented in two distinct halves; the first regarding the various minority groups, while the second half compares women to these various minority groups. I found Anderson’s use of the block style for this essay particularly clever, as with this strategy she constructs her feminist essay to appeal to not only women readers, but men as well by merely introducing the prospect of gender inequality halfway through the essay. Anderson also uses numerous examples to further argue her point with facts such as, “Women workers earn, on an average, only 64 cents for every $1 a man gets”. She compares this with a point made earlier on affecting Quebeckers and wages, allowing for the reader to distinctly understand that despite the progress society has made to overcome barriers affecting minority groups such as the Quebeckers, the barriers women continue to face in society have not been improved, and even more astonishingly have come to be perceived as normal. Thus, with the exemplary use of irony, examples, and a strategic structure I believe Anderson’s essay was not only amusing, but also the most effective in portraying her points clearly across to the reader.
An essay read in class that I found to be very effective is "Through the One-Way Mirror" by Margaret Atwood. Throughout the introduction of the essay, Margaret Atwood describes the relationship between Canadians and Americans, how we perceive and are perceived, using beautiful imagery and metaphors that convey her points well, such as children in the playground. It works so well because it is an image that many people would be able to relate to and imagine, conveying her points in a simple, yet engaging way, making it very effective in getting her points across. Constantly throughout her essay Atwood uses such metaphors, sometimes with the added mix of humour and intrigue, as she describes the feelings of Canadians towards Americans, and vice-versa, insuring that readers not only stay interested and read her arguments, but also understand it. Atwood discusses several points that further enlighten the reader on the many differences between the Canadian and American perspectives, discussing both reasons for the cause and telling us the effects, smoothly transitioning between the two, that no abrupt change can be felt by the reader and ensuring that her essay flows well. The tone of voice of her essay addresses a wide audience, where many people of the general public would be able to read and understand her essay and her points, almost as though in conversation. She also ends her essay with a very short, but powerful conclusion, that not only relates all the way back to the beginning of her essay, the introduction and thesis, but also the title as well, and leaves us thinking still well after the end. These are some of the reasons why I found this essay to be very effective.
The essay I believed to be the most effective in its argument was A Nice Place to Visit, by Russell Baker. A satirical compare and contrast essay, Baker skillfully employs varied techniques of persuasion in presenting his thesis that Toronto is superior to New York as a city through the survival of an ancient social conduct- courtesy. Baker writes the piece as an account of Toronto by a New Yorker, who frequently laments the shortcomings of the city. Through evaluating Toronto and New York, Baker seemingly admonishes Toronto for its lack of big city splendor. In truth, Baker portrays a negative picture of New York, as he sarcastically compares point-by-point the failings of New York to the successes of Toronto. This humor both appeals to and prompts the reader, as the satirical humor in this essay is effective in strengthening Toronto’s courteous appeal as a city. Additionally, Baker uses irony to support the humor in his essay, utilizing phases such as “comfortably nasty confrontations” and “bogged down in civilization”. Also essential to Baker’s argument are the vivid examples, as he compares Toronto and New York in sectors such as the courtesy of taxi drivers, the presence of continuous noise, and the cleanliness of the subway. While these examples seem minor, they are important facets of a city, and suggest large-scale problems such as pollution and poverty when in disarray. Furthermore, hyperboles are used exceptionally well throughout the essay, as they are critical in painting the stark contrast between Toronto and New York. The effective employment of humor, irony, examples, and hyperboles made for a unique and convincing essay, and thus an effective essay.
Fast food nation: the dark side of an all American meal is an effective cause and effect essay which explained the hidden power of multinational corporations and the importance of our everyday decisions. By carefully using different persuasive techniques like word choice, examples, and emotional appeal, Eric Schlosser well-defines our generation with humour in his impressive introduction. In a defensive sentence, Eric Schlosser states that he’s not suggesting fast food as the sole cause of all social problems. Clauses like that usually indicate the opposite of what they say but a few sentences later Schlosser adds a surprising confession, admitting he eats a lot of fast food too-just like any American, this sets the tone and appeals to the emotional side of the reader. Schlosser's honesty and choice of words like “shiny and happy surface of fast food...” compel him to reveal facts about fast food that tend to go against his arguments. Providing the information necessary to make knowledgeable decisions, he allows readers to make up their own minds. Though I was not fully convinced by this essay to stop eating fast food, the essay still created freight and connection to current problems like obesity. I found his writing style very thoughtful and fascinating as it enables the reader to better understand what goes on behind the scenes to get that Big Mac or Whopper into their hands. It was well worth reading even if you don't ultimately end up feeling compelled to boycott Ronald McDonald.
"Barbie and her Playmates" by Don Richard Cox was the essay I found most effective. Cox presents his ideas in an informative, persuasive, and humourous way. He begins by talking about barbie and her luxurious, adult like lifestyle- living a life with no parents, never ending summer vacations, shopping sprees, and spending time with her boyfriend-Ken. He then leads on to presenting the idea of Barbie being a role model to young girls. He gives a variety of examples to support what he is saying. One example from the essay was the “baby” doll and Barbie doll and how they give two very different messages to a young girl. A “baby” doll effects young girls by means of preparing them for motherhood, while Barbie gives a false representation to what “teenage” and adult life is like. He informs and persuades the reader about the huge impact and effects Barbie has on young girls. His essay is effective because it is informative, clear, organized and effective.
The essay, “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal,” immediately captivates the reader by uniquely introducing Cheyenne Mountain, which houses one of America’s most important military installations, as the most unlikely location one might stumble across fast food. Schlosser extensively underlines the acute covertness, maximal security, and near indestructibility of the base, juxtaposing these three qualities against the impracticality of the presence of fast food at such a futuristic site. He metaphorically utilizes Cheyenne Mountain as a direct projection of the nation of America, pursuing the country’s inordinate dependence upon the typical meal. Through this introduction, Schlosser already succeeds in alarming the reader with a realistically derived scenario, provoking the reader to question the deteriorating state of the American lifestyle. By sequentially describing Cheyenne Mountain and connecting its reference to his thesis statement, Schlosser ensures that the reader is able to attain comprehensive insight into the metaphor and acquire a more accurate perception as to how dire the situation is. Furthermore, Schlosser incorporates notable irony: “... the red, white, and blue of a Domino’s pizza box,” in emphasizing the omnipresence of fast food in American culture, where the contents of the box are equally as renowned as the three colours of the country’s emblem. Through the convincing use of diction, metaphor, and irony, Schlosser introduces a compelling argument, and the reader is able to acquire startling insight into America’s constant dependence upon fast food.
The most effective essay we’ve read was by far “The Fast Food Nation: The dark Side of the All - American Meal” written by Eric Schlosser. This is a cause and effect essay, it explains why the fast food industry is so dominant in America and what the detriments of consuming large quantities of fast food are, as well as the impact on small businesses. As he outlined in his essay, consuming too much fast food makes us unhealthy, and consuming some types of fast food can even cause serious illness. The illness is most often caused by the meat, as the author states. Because the meatpacking is done by “armies of poor, transient immigrant who injuries often go unrecorded and uncompensated”, as Eric Schlosser states, meat can be easily contaminated by deadly bacteria. Although I never eat at fast food places, it still affects me through the people around me, as after being consumed the fast food becomes a part of you, and that part is very unhealthy. The use of statistics and persuasive techniques make his essay very effective.
The essay that I found was most effective and that stood out to me is, Am I blue By Alice Walker. Am I Blue is a compare and contrast essay. The author really knew how to catch the readers attention by using an analogy to describe the way horses and humans (specially enslaved blacks) are treated. She points out that humans usually treat animals very poorly and do not realize that animals have feelings like we humans do. Alice Walker makes her case in a convincing manner by using different literary devices such as personification and Anthropomorphism to argue that there are human qualities in animals.
The essay I found the most effective and persuasive is “The 51% Minority” by Doris Anderson. First of all I really like the name of this essay “the 51% Minority” is really attract me, more than fifty percent if majority that is the truth no one will argue about that, however fifty percent minority contains strong irony and makes me want to keep reading. Secondly, he gives us the closest examples like women earn less than man, and racisms against dark skin people. Those examples are truly and honestly happening in our sociality, therefore once audiences read his essay will feel like they are part of it, and enjoy reading it. Doris Anderson uses comparison and contrast and showing a perfect image of his thesis statement. In conclusion i really enjoy of reading his essay.
“The 51% Minority” written by Doris Anderson had come to be one of the most compelling, and persuasive essays about gender class in society we’ve read so far. She had successfully woven in the idea of a women being perceived as minority using compare and contrast techniques, which compliment many of her arguments. Her added irony to the title enables the reader to latch on to this essay, and read it thoroughly to understand the stand point of a woman in the 21st century. The obvious 51% is not to be considered a minority; however, females do fall into that category, but yet are subjected to inequalities when it comes to jobs. A woman will not earn the same as a man, even if she does the same job. This argument sets off a strong signal, that opens the mind to opinions, and this is an important part of her writing this essay. Her style of writing affects the reader’s perception, giving them enough time to think of both sides of the story. This is done so by the partition in her essay, where she will speak of these minority groups, giving a little background information, and then, she compares these groups with women. This essay had introduced a whole new line of ideas about how society is still working in its primitive ways; the value instilled into our minds about the other side of the human race is quite low. With this, Anderson has been able to get her point across to the reader in an essay filled with concrete information, which snaps back some reality into those who often forget that they are a part of.
i believe the essay "fast food nation the dark side of the all American meal" by Eric Schlosser, the most effective because he stressed many points that many of us don't realize until reading his essay, and it made me think of what could be the reason why we eat fast food everyday, he also told us how the fast food industry first started with hotdogs and hamburgers, but now it is in "every corner of the nation" even in hospitals where they should be advising us to "do the right thing" rather than making us eating it in thier cafeterias, he also made us realize how much the fast food industry grew from being a 6 billion dollar insutry to 110 billion dollars in 2001. he concluded the essay by telling us that we all don't realize where the food came from and all we do is just grab the food sit on a table, open the wrap and dig.
According to me, the essay ‘Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal’ by Eric Schlosser is the most effective and persuasive. It talks about how the fast food industry has taken over the culture of America. He described the causes and effects of the rise of fast food culture perfectly. He gave the causes like the rise in inflation, time saving etc. and then he gave us the effects like obesity which are prevalent in the new generation. The points provided by him to support the thesis of his essay were very factual and genuine. This essay also shows how the popularity and success of the fast food industry has increased in other countries as well. We saw the same effects of the fast food in other countries but on a small scale.
Eric Schlosser also used irony and humor in his language which made the essay more interesting and funny to read. He showed that fast foods are so famous among young children that the yellow “M” of McDonalds is more famous and recognizable then the cross of Christ.
All these points made essay very effective and interesting which not only gives you some shocking effects of fast food but also put lights on the causes of its rise.
I found "The 51% minority", by Doris Anderson, to be the most effective essay we read in class, because it discusses an issue that has been around since the existence of humanity, even though it is one of the least discussed or argued subjects of discrimination. The author begins by pointing out some of the minorities that are discriminated against in today's society, and then shows how ironic is the fact that people are so involved into solving racial discrimination and other issues, when they forget the most fundamental one. Women should be equal to men, now more than ever since they are no longer a minority and represent 51& of the world population. But it seems like not even our supposedly democratic, civilized North America can finally recognize that.
Of course women have a more significant social status in present day, compared to even 100 years ago, but there are still subtle differences in favor of men. Women still tend to have lower salaries and it is harder for them to be promoted to very high levels in corporations.
This essay is a way of trying to further gap the bridge between men and women and open people's eyes, and in my opinion it has effective arguments.
Am I Blue? by Alice Walker, to me is an effective essay because of the way she compares a horse to African Americans of many years ago. The horse being colored white, which represents freedom, is being mistreated and used, which can represent why the author named the horse Blue. This is ironic because people believe animals have good lives doing what humans want them to do, however, they are just being used like African American slaves. Alice walker believes and wrote that "Human animals and nonhuman animals can communicate quite well", although African Americans have rights now, animals cannot talk back and refuse what we, humans, want them to do. This emotionally affects the reader because they have just found out that they abused animals.
In my opinion, “The 51-Percent Minority” by Doris Anderson was the most effective essay presented to us. Anderson chooses to convey her opinion through strong points paired with an ironic undertone. Regardless, the reader is still able to easily identify the thesis as: Women, regardless of the fact that they compose 51% of our population, suffer from minority-like discrimination. Expressed in block format, her arguments are easy to follow and flow smoothly from point to point. The comparisons and contrasts she draws between actual minorities such as doctors, left-handed people, black people, and Catholics to women are so powerful that the reader is quickly and easily convinced. However, Anderson’s most influential technique is how she captures one’s attention. She starts with an ironic title that challenges one’s curiosity, then divulges into past and present discriminatory practices before finally getting to her point of gender inequality. With attention to strong comparative structure and compelling arguments, Anderson is able to effectively deliver her opinion.
An effective essay that we went over in class was "Am I Blue?" by Alice Walker. The author talks about how, regardless of the fact that animals are not human, they still possess many human-like qualities such as love, pain and loneliness. The quote "I am eating misery, I thought after I took the first bite." showcases how certain people can develop relationships with animals. Walker also uses personification to demonstrate the similar characteristics and expressions animals and humans share. Furthermore, she states that when humans feel boredom, we do everything in our power to overcome it. Blue's companion was taken from him after they were given time to bond and this drove Blue to madness mainly due to the attachment between them. All things considered, Walker makes it clear that in spite of all that humans’ witness of other species; we tend to let our selfish ways impede their wants.
While all the essays used different techniques to prove a point, the one I found to be in possession of the best combination of entertainment and valid proof is "A Nice Place to Visit" by Russell Baker. Not only is it relevant, thought-out and well-proven, but it has something that makes it a personal preference: satire. It is so sarcastic and dry, and thus, in my opinion incredibly amusing, that it makes the reader want to pay attention. It also brings about his points comparing the two cities into stark relief. His thesis is absolutely well-proven, which is why I believe it is the most effective of all the essays.
In my opinion the cause and affect essay, was the most manipulative essay within the many we had read. Entitled,"The Fast Food Nation" already had the attention of the readers, even though it was a typical issue to read upon.
As it's form of being a cause and effect essay, it had presented itself in a well structured and factual matter. It had simple facts that were emphasized as they were easily understandable.
It seemed to flow in a proper sequence as the author explains the major factor and then breaks it down into evidential reasoning that manipulates the readers thoughts and mind.
Based on statistics of a neighbored country, it opens the readers hypocritical mind into believing the given facts as they are, as they tell themselves that -"oh we're not that bad". Whereas of the end of reading it, it leaves a mark and a subject to think about. And upon such issue, a compare and contrast type essay aided it a lot as it threw the facts out in the open for the mind to digest.
The essay that we read in class that I found most effective is the essay, “Barbie and her Playmates.” In Barbie and her Playmates, Cox writes about how Barbie was designed to show the young teenage girl. Cox shows how Barbie has affected young girls and the way they act and grow as individuals. Having Barbie as such a big influence in young girls minds, he shows that Barbie has a very fake life, and how no one will grow up to be like her. Barbie lives her life with no parents, no jobs, and she has many houses, including her vacation house, and playhouse. Barbie lives her life free of any stress, she has a boyfriend Ken, who she goes skiing and swimming with, and anything that makes her happy. Barbie does whatever she pleases from, going to the mall and buying many different accessories, to hanging out on the beach with Ken. In Cox’s essay he provides many good examples and arguments about Barbie and her influence on young minds. This essay keeps the reader interested and has many good points, that is why I found Barbie and her Playmates to be the most effective essay.
The most effective essay I have read is "Hollywood vs. Canada" by Elizabeth Renzetti. I think it's the most effective because of how straight forward it is. The author explains how, at the time this essay was written, Hollywood thought Canada to be unfair, because movies were being shot in Canada and not in America, which was taking jobs away from Americans. Elizabeth then goes on to say that in a way, we Canadians are unfair to Americans in more way than one. One such way is how we consider Americans to be patriotic gasbags. She says which people slap on maple leafs when they go traveling and which country has a folk hero named Joe Canadian. Elizabeth writes that we think of ourselves as more friendly and kinder than Americans. She then writes that she has had more conversations in two years in America then 30 years of eye avoidance in Toronto. These were just some of the points the author wrote down and each are very effective. Therefore this essay was the most effective one I read
The essay I found effective was Am I Blue?. I believe it’s a great way to start off an essay with a good quote as did Alice Walker “Ain’t these tears in these eyes tellin’ you?” This quote starts off the essay by telling the readers that this is about hardship and sorrow. The way she beautifully starts off this essay with a story whether true or false and how she uses this story to show how Blue, a horse, is being treated unfairly and unkindly as were the African Americans back in slavery times. This was a very well done compare and contrast essay that explains how old practices used during slavery are still being practiced but a lot more on animals these days. Alice Walker describes in detail how she felt when she saw Blue bored, happy with his new friend, and how sad he was after his new friend was taken away, and this causes the reader to feel the same way. She smoothly compares this to the African Americans to give the same feeling and this gives it a very persuasive effect. Alice Walker does a very good job in this essay and gives the readers something to think about in the end.
Fast food nation i would say was the most effective essay. The facts and stats were very good. "Americans spend about $6 billion on fast food"; in 2001 they spent more than $110 billion". Whats funny is that these things are true. Its just lazyness. Its just easier to get your hands on fast food
The essay that I believe is the most effective is “Barbie and Her Playmates” by Don Richard Cox. This cause and effect essay was easy for me to understand because of the way the author organized his points. The introduction gives us an idea about what Barbie is and how it could be compared to real girls. Next, the author states all the causes in each paragraph supporting them by the restatement of the thesis. The repetition of the thesis statement keeps reminding to the reader what the main idea of the essay is. The smooth connection between paragraphs makes essay flow. In the conclusion we can see the effect that comes from the causes stated in the body of the essay. The Barbie doll has careless life, never-end wardrobe and bad influence on young girls who want to be just like her. Overall, I think the essay was effective in the way it was structured, the causes led to the effect; the language was easy to understand, and the author made his point clear.
In my opinion the essay that was most effective was the essay “Am I Blue” by Alice Walker. At first glance it seems that this essay is about a horse and the mistreatment that this horse endures all alone in a meadow; however, once one has read between the lines it becomes quite obvious that this essay has a deeper meaning. This essay was a clever way of describing some of the tribulations African- Americans had to go through during slavery. By describing how Blues owner have left him feeling abandoned and unloved in his own home can describe how many black people have felt during those times. In this essay the horse has five acres, of which he could wander freely, but mentally he is enslaved, African – Americans had many acres of land on which they were promised freedom, but in reality they too were mentally and physically enslaved so all the space was just that space. This essay shows the injustice and cruelty that this “poor” horse goes through is the same cruelty and injustice that was faced by many people. The way the owners had just dismissed the needs of the horse is the same way many African Americans needs were dismissed. I think by Alice’s use of personification, irony, metaphors and analogy makes the essay that much stronger and that much more effective because it allows her to captivate her readers and allows the readers to understand and sympathize with Alice’s ideas.
I found "The 51-percent Minority" to be the most effective essay we read in class. Doris Anderson grabs the reader's attention and curiosity instantly by using juxtaposition to create an ironic title. She starts off with a lengthy introduction, leaving the thesis for later on. Although, the first part of the essay might seem unusually long, the author uses this to her advantage by pointing out many of the discriminatory issues that societies have faced in the past, such as those that involved blacks, left-handed people or doctors. By the time Anderson gets to her thesis statement, the audience is already hooked up, and although she keeps an ironic tone throughout the essay, these examples deliver a powerful and emotional message that prepares the readers for her main argument. From then on, having the audience already on her side, she talks about the issue of women still being discriminated against, even though we promote democracy as a nation, and moreover, women now represent 51% of the population, which technically means they are not a minority anymore.
Having used such a strong introduction, and an ironic tone which also has an emotional impact, I believe Doris Anderson delivered her powerful message very effectively.
The most effective essay that we read in class was The Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All- American Meal, because it was a cause and effect essay and it persuades the readers. In the essay, he talks about how the fast food has affected the US economy, technology, the workforce and how much the Americans love fast foods. He also makes his weakest points to stronger points as he provides great examples and statistics. As it is mentioned in the essay, a delivery man get into a high security guarded place with a fast food, which is very ironic to the readers and it says how much they love fast food. As the author mentions in the essay, “in 1970, Americans spend about $6 billion on fast food; in 2001 they spent more than $110 billion”, which indicates the massive improvement in fast food. He also does some great comparison and contrasting techniques to make his points stronger and persuade the readers. For example, he compares McDonalds and coca- cola, in addition to say, he compares the money was consumed on fast food with the money consumed on higher education, personal computers and computer software. These reasons make the essay very persuasive and effective.
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