For English 101, Section 104

Hey Writers,

While you read Gutterson's "No Place Like Home" (in the S&W text) for Wednesday, think about the following questions, then prepare answers to each of them on your blogs. Use complete sentences, specific examples from the text (quote and put page numbers), and remember to publish your posts. This assignment will prepare you for Wednesday's viewing and discussion of the film American Beauty.

What does Gutterson mean when he says "Green Valley is as much a verb as a noun"? Point to specific places where he discusses the ways in which city laws prohibit and require residents and buildings to do certain things.

What is Gutterson's tone? How does he achieve this tone? Look at specific uses of language, parenthetical notation, and turns of phrase that give you a general feeling of Gutterson's writerly agenda.

Do you agree that suburbs are not the safe, selective paradises they purport to be? Provide examples from your own experience as support for your argument.

Each question requires an answer of a few sentences at least. Make sure you've completed this assignment by class time Wednesday.

Mr. Sisk

What do these beer commercials say about masculinity?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGZhIVgpYoM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmFBOVZ6BLM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euAk2LaN9Go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxDaP-U843s

What Do You Have to Know to Understand This Video?

Outside of Class Blogging Assignment 2--Due Wednesday, 9/3

Alright, guys. Now you know a little about rhetorical strategies. Pathos is an emotional appeal, logos is logic, ethos has to do with your credibility. You know the drill. Let's put your knowledge to work. In a blog post of at least 10 sentences (perhaps five for each), compare and contrast the rhetorical strategies at work in each video below. You will want to first make a list of observations about each video, then some inferences, and make your observations. Be sure to consider the following, as they pertain to each video:

• audience--who is the intended audience for each video? is the audience the same for each?
• tone--do these videos--which communicate the same message--do so with the same tone? If not, how does difference in tone change the video's ethos?
• context--these are similar PSAs that are decades apart. What do you need to know culturally in order to understand the video? (Example, Rachael Lee Cook, star of the 90s teen movie She's All That stars in the latter. Does the appearance of a teen celebrity enhance the video's appeal to a teenaged audience?)
• purpose--do these videos share the same purpose? If so, what is it? If not, what is the purpose of each?
• effectiveness--which video is more rhetorically effective? Why?

You may, of course, email me with questions if you have any, but please attempt to complete the entire assignment before you contact me. This may seem overwhelming, but I promise you are all capable of doing this assignment successfully.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Mr. Sisk

The Cosmic Significance of Mr. Sisk's Pen

What, did you think I'd make you guys do something I wouldn't?

Observations:

Teal ink
retractable
fine point
moderately expensive
smooth writing
stunningly attractive barrel (what with the teal grip and all!)
ink's almost gone

Inferences:

I prefer things that are aesthetically pleasing, and I'm willing to pay a little extra for them. Sure, I could write with a ball point pen--and I will in a fix--but given my druthers, I prefer the smooth luxury of a Pilot G-2. That's probably because I write a lot, and I know that one of the important keys to keep a writer at her craft is to love her tools. I also have those expensive Moleskine journals, though I don't like them as much as the Pilot fine points. I can write on just about anything, but I prefer my words be written in smooth ink, preferably in some wild color. Because I'm not boring and I don't think my writing should be either.

Or perhaps my pen communicates that I'm a child of the 90s, back when all kids in elementary school regardless of gender reveled in brightly colored anything.

Images from the Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics

Hey Writers,

Your homework assignment for Monday night is to do a mini-rhetorical analysis of one or a few of the images below from the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Particularly read the your visual text/s in terms of pathos, consulting the chapter "Arguments from the Heart" on pp. 45-58 of our rhetoric text if you need a jumping off place. Also, you will want to read over the section entitled "Reading an Image" on pp. 721-24 in our reader, Seeing and Writing 3, for some helpful tips on understanding visual arguments.

Remember, you want to make specific observations about the image you choose (what colors pop out? what is the central image? what is going on in the background? etc.), then make a few inferences: (because the author chose to center a Chinese military person in the center of the image, she is choosing to communicate what?).

After that, you'll want to discuss how well your image/s appeal to an audience emotionally. Do you feel inspired by the image/s? Do(es) your image/s make you feel as if you are witnessing something great? Is there anything that confuses you about the composition/costumes/performers' positioning/etc? Think about what feelings the designer of the closing ceremony wished to evoke from his audience. You need also remember that this event was televised globally, so the artist must have had in mind a much broader audience beyond those present at the event in Beijing.

You might want to brainstorm a list of observations, then make your inferences, before constructing a 5-7 sentence paragraph for this assignment. If you choose to brainstorm before your write, please post your list of observations on your blogs along with your paragraphs. We will discuss your analyses in class on Wednesday, and you will be evaluated based on your participation.

Comment on this post or email me if you have further questions.

See y'all soon,

Mr. Sisk

Everything Really Is An Argument

Hi, class!

I hope you enjoy making your blogs. Once you've created yours, please comment here or send me an email with your blog link so that I can add you to my blog roll and everyone can see and comment on your blogs.

Have fun with layout and design. I'll begin announcing weekly blog assignments next week.

Mr. Sisk