Thursday, January 24, 2013

Where Have You Gone Charming Billy?

The excerpt, "Where Have You Gone Charming Billy?" is about a group of soldiers sneaking around, trying to stay alive. Phrases like "dark, single file" and "one by one the other soldiers squatted in the shadows" makes their mission seem serious and secretive. The reader is intended to like PFC Paul Berlin and root for him. He uses the word "pretend" alot which lets the reader know he is desperately trying to escape his terrible reality. The reader comes to realize that Paul Berlin is a lonely, scared boy and all he wants is to not be where he currently. Reading this excerpt, I almost wanted to help Paul Berlin or comfort him. At the end of the excerpt, Paul Berlin has an almost optimistic outlook. It's as if he thinks things cannot possibly get worse so tomorrow must be better than today.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Country Corn Flakes
Appeal:
The commercial uses pathos by having the two people represent the famous painting, "American Gothic." This appeals to the audience because people are familiar with this painting and therefore they feel comfortable buying Country Corn Flakes.
Fallacy:

Alka-seltzer
Appeal:
 The commercial uses pathos by showing images of people with different sized stomachs. Some of the stomachs are large while others are skinny or fit. By comparing the different kinds of body shapes, the commerical appeals to people's feelings and makes them want to buy alka-seltzer so that they can have the ideal stomach.
Fallacy: Confusion of correlation and causation. The commerical makes people think that if they use alka-seltzer, they will have a great looking body.

Delk:
Appeal:
Logos. The main said, "Here are two primary facts..." What he said made logical sense.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Chain Gang

The subject of the song is chain gangs. These were groups of people that were linked to one chain at all times. They worked all day long under the hot sun. This song was written around the 1960's, when the civil rights movement was taking place. At the time, black people were discriminated against by white people. Chain gangs represent conformity. Individuals became one when they were linked together and forced to work, much like white people at the time. White people chose to all discriminate against black people, almost becoming one unit.