TOW #25 GE Advertisement

General Electric appeals to the American Dream in this advertisement.

My goals are to write in a cohesive format without obviously listing the required information. I would also like to focus on and go in depth about one or two strategies, instead of listing many.
   
     The ad above is for houses produced by the Levitt & Sons company just after World War 2. At this point in time, several millions of soldiers were returning home to their wives and girlfriends, and all at once needed places to live and start a family. This combined with greater American wealth at the time, led Americans to sprawling suburban communities with thousands of well-organized and similar houses. William Levitt created four standard models of a house that could be ordered in a catalogue, and, in assembly line fashion, constructed four enormous communities very inexpensively in a very short amount of time. His advertisements were of the first generation of American family appeal, using the image of the "nuclear family" looking for a normal, conformist life. Levitt's purpose in the advertisement is to appeal to the vast number of veterans he can persuade to purchase his services and products, and to convince them that his houses fulfill their future needs and desires.
     The first thing that one notices in the ad are the caricatures of the veteran and his wife. The man is clearly in his uniform from the war, and his wife is smartly dressed and clearly adoring of him. Both are smiling, rosy cheeked, and intimate. This is clearly an appeal to pathos, as Levitt wants viewers to consider themselves in the same positions as the characters in the ad: planning a new life is happy. Sketched in the dirt is another appeal to pathos and the subject of the ad: an appealing, average house. People of the 1950s thrived on nondescript conformity, and a symmetrical house sketched in the dirt, while not an accurate representation of the actual houses Levitt built, still conjures up feelings of that ideal "American lifestyle."
     While difficult to read, I believe the paragraphs at the bottom of the ad describe a soldier's need to make smart future plans for his family, especially before he leaves to further serve his country. General Electric, a partner of Levitt, includes small depictions of appliances and a brief description of its services to give the appearance of working for the consumer. It provides many new technologies to make life easier in this time of stress and war.
     Because of its emotional appeals, this ad is a form of propaganda. However, because Americans were so gullible when it came to pursuing the American dream, the advertisement is still effective.

TOW #24 The End of Anonymity (Erik Sofge)

Facial recognition has become much more prevalent and powerful in recent years. But is it ethical?

My goals are to have a more cohesive introduction/background information and to provide specific examples from the text to show the rhetorical devices.

     We've all heard of PRISM, the NSA program that invaded the privacy of millions of people by secretly surveying emails and social media accounts. Erik Sofge, in this article for Popular Science Magazine, examines the other less-controversial surveillance method utilized by the FBI: facial recognition. The FBI has been collecting information on criminals since 1924, ranging from the first index card and ink fingerprint records to DNA tests and a database of millions of mugshots for recognition. Facial recognition is exceptionally difficult, especially with low resolution security camera footage. However, in recent years the many algorithms contracted to the FBI from worldwide proprietary software companies have greatly increased computers' ability to decipher a tilted head, expressive features, and low light. While not usable in court because of the techniques success rate (in good conditions in hovers around 80% confidence in a criminal/suspect match), facial-recognition is still widely used and, with the information stored in social media, could become the best way to generate leads in an investigation. WHile Sofge stays rather neutral in reporting, his purpose is clearly to raise awareness about this surveillance technology and bring to light some if its more controversial aspects.
     The most obvious rhetorical strategy employed by Sofge is his use of statistics. His goal is to show the effectiveness and broad scope of facial-recognition investigation. For this reason, he uses facts like a database containing 3.5 million mugshots, a program that costs $1.2 billion, and a current 1% drop in accuracy per year (so more older photos can be used with confidence). Instead of just saying that the programs are massive or effective, Sofge supplies strong supporting evidence to convince us, and possibly engender a thoughtful reaction about the size of his described programs.
     Throughout the article Sofge also calls upon reputable experts from a variety of origins. He begins with an anecdote containing detective Jim McClelland from Cheltenham, PA, who describes the ways that facial recognition advances have made his job significantly easier. Sofge also quotes a CEO of a firm that develops the software about modern advances, as well as a professor who controversially used Facebook images to make a more comprehensive database of people. Such varied opinions on all aspects of the technology inform the reader and provide perspectives that support and refute the implementation of facial recognition. These act as support and concessions and, when paired with his objective statistics, made Sofge's article effective in accomplishing its purpose.

TOW #23 Bioprocess development for niotinic acid hydroxamate synthesis by alcytransferase activity of Bacillus smithii strain IITR6b2 (Agarwal, Gupta, and Choudhury)

     

A harmless cousin of anthrax (pictured here) is used in the biotechnology industry.

     Published in the Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, this article is very professional and almost overwhelmingly technical. Conducted by three researchers in the Indian Institute of Technology's Department of Biotechnology, this experiment attempted a new method for synthesizing nicotinic acid hydroxamate (NAH), a chemical that serves a wide variety of purposes as a "bioligand, urease inhibitor, anityrosinase," etc. This study comes as a part of the biotechnological revolution, utilizing living organisms to produce and regulate chemicals necessary for medicine and research. This particular article's purpose is to prove that the method the three researchers developed and implemented is better than previous ones, and to explain, in meticulous detail, how they carried out the experiment and its results.
     The most obvious rhetorical device is the abundant scientific jargon. The three authors assume that their audience is educated and well-versed in scientific literature, particularly concerning biotechnology. They spend very little time giving background information on their subject of study, and offer no explanation of the processes the bacteria use to synthesize NAH. Knowledge of the chemicals involved and how they interact is assumed. This serves as a very efficient mode of transporting knowledge. The jargon does not serve to muddle the meaning of the experiment, in fact, it does just the opposite. All of the information is presented and packaged into two pages. If a reader does not understand a word or process, it is not the purpose of the article to explain it.
     The organization of the essay aids somewhat in guiding readers. There is a very clear format to technical writing, beginning with the abstract, an introduction that shows the meaning and purpose of the experiment, followed by the procedures carried out, results obtained, and analysis/conclusion. Each topic sentence serves to give an overview to guide the understanding of the technical paragraph. These reliefs are very brief, however. For example, they write "Development of a single-step biotransformation process for NAH synthesis will provide a simple, convenient, and environmentally friendly economic route. In the recent past, acyltransferase activity of amidases has been utilized for hydroxamic acids and acid hydrazides syntheses."
     From what I could understand, the article was actually concise. It spends no time in flowery or attractive prose; the authors want to succinctly deliver their knowledge using as little paper as possible. The amount of detail is phenomenal, and effectively accomplishes their purpose.

TOW #22 The Creation of Adam (Michelangelo)

     

     One of the most popular religious artworks of all time, "The Creation of Adam" was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1511 as part of Michelangelo's series of works there. It is presumably based off of Genesis 1:27 in the Bible, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him." The painting features both God and Adam, as well as many angels, and is meant to show this relationship between God and humans. Commissioned by Pope Julius II during the Renaissance Period of artistic expression, the painting was intended for the congregation of the Chapel and to attract visitors from around the world.
     The primary subjects of the painting are Adam on the left and God on the right. Michelangelo has positioned them in identical poses, showing how we are the supposedly reflection of God himself. However, Adam, in his fabled ignorance, is naked, whereas God is clothed and wise. God hovers in the sky, whereas Adam is grounded on a rocky cliff. Both clearly inhabit separate realms, and, though Adam is certainly aware of God's presence, cannot quite reach him. This is a metaphor for Christianity and faith itself, how we believe we have a relationship with the divine but at the same time can never directly interact.
     The light colors in the painting are an appeal to pathos. They engender positive feelings, as opposed to if it was stormy and dark. Adam sits in a green field and God is garbed in a pink robe and surrounded by a cloud of red. Nothing clashes and the background is even and smooth, suggesting feelings of peace. In Michelangelo's perception of creation, the world is simple and new, not yet tainted with the darkness of sin.
     Michelangelo created a work of beauty meant to inspire faith with the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Through his depictions of Adam's creation, he provides a representation that exceeds simply reading words in a Bible, and effectively achieves his purpose.

TOW #21 Influencers (Cora Frazier)

Cora Frazier refutes GQ's claim that President Barack Obama is not an influential person.

   
     Cora Frazier, a frequent contributor to the Shouts & Murmurs column of the New Yorker, challenges GQ's recent list of the "25 Least Influential People of 2013." In particular, she focuses on the ranking of Barack Obama, listed as #17. In this sarcastic work, Frazier debates that ranking sarcastically, making the point that if the President is one of the least influential people in the world, he would have had to have had less of an impact than her. Using fictional scenarios, Frazier presents a series of examples comparing his actions to hers so that her audience sees fault in GQ's list. She believes Obama is extremely influential and should be respected as such.
     The most obvious rhetorical device employed by Frazier is her structure of comparing and contrasting the actions of Obama and her. This often employs humor as she builds with an example of Obama's influence and then uses an anecdote of her own experience in comparison. For example, she writes "Obama saw the implementation of his historic health-care legislation, which Administrations have been trying to pass for years, while I wrote the wrong Social Security number on my gynecologist form." Each example compares similar categories of actions (in this case health care), but the influence of Obama could not appear greater. The humor of the difference is an appeal to pathos, pulling the reader in and nudging them onwards to each great achievement of our President. It also diffuses any of the partisan tension usually seen in an argument about the effectiveness of a president.
     Despite the humor, the article is a really clever appeal to logos. She presents the claim she intends to refute first (that Obama is one of the least influential people in the world), further defines it (if the list hypothetically incorporates everyone in the world, she must have been considered), and then presents evidence in the form of anecdotes (like the one seen above). She provides a little back-handed analysis, though it is not really necessary given her examples. For example, she talks about how she writes checks out of order "as a kind of quiet rebellion against Chase Bank...I don't see how this could possibly put me higher, influence-wise, than a man with the power to launch a nuclear weapon." She makes it quite clear that her influences are personal and small-scale, whereas Barack Obama leads an entire nation.
    Overall, this is probably the funniest satire I have read in a while. I think it was very effective at completing Frazier's purpose, if not a little cheeky at times. I appreciated how it diffused partisanship, even though she is clearly in support of the Democratic Party.

TOW #20 The American River Ganges (Thomas Nast)

     The late 19th century featured tremendous social, economic, and educational change. Religious and ethnic groups struggled, presidents of the Gilded Age sat idly in the Oval Office ignorant to government corruption, and the lithograph gave rise to the mass production of newspapers. Thomas Nast, one of the most influential political cartoonists in American history (responsible for the modern depiction of Santa Claus and the Republican/Democratic party symbols), frequently offered his social commentary in the form of artfully created political cartoons, such as in The American River Ganges. Nast was a firm supporter of the Republican party and anti-Catholicism. Therefore, when parochial schools began to gain prevalence and local governments were deciding whether to incorporate religious morality in public schools, Nast attempted to dissuade voters (most likely "the common man": middle class wage earners) from allowing the invasion of Catholic principles.
     Nast makes his negative opinion clear with his striking imagery and metaphors. The cartoon takes place on the "American River Ganges," an allusion to the massive river in India that harbors large numbers of crocodiles and gharials. The cartoon clearly depicts a river, and the image is completed with scaled creatures emerging from the depths. At first glance they appear to be crocodiles, but with help from the caption it is revealed that the monsters are, in fact, Catholic priests. The beasts are descending on children moored on the beach, presumably representative of the entire nation's youth. Immediately, this elicits appeals to pathos; first one of compassion, as no adult wants a child to come to harm, and then of anger or fear in response to the religious predators.
     Nast also incorporates the Capitol and a depiction of Boss Tweed (the man with the beard and hat leaning over the edge of the cliff) to engender an appeal to logos. Many voters in America owed allegiances to corrupt politicians like Tweed and blindly voted for him in hopes of earning his positive influence. Because Nast's audience supports the actions of Washington and/or politicians like Tweed, who in turn back the destruction of the apparent American education system, Nast's audience assumes indirect responsibility. These emotions may illicit change in behavior at the polls, fulfilling Nast's purpose.
     The cartoon is largely hyperbole and propaganda. However, because it presents an obvious correlation between voters and Nast's Catholic invasion as well as forcing a powerful emotional response, I think the cartoon does accomplish its purpose.

TOW #19 The Intelligent Plant (Michael Pollan)

     

Mimosa pudica, or the Sensitive Plant, has been shown to "learn" from its environment and change its behavior accordingly.

     Mimosa pudica, the plant famous for its leaves that curl rapidly when disturbed (see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o18UUSJgQA), shakes violently and clenches its leaves. However, after 15 repeated shakes, the plants leaves begin to open. It has sustained no damage from the rhythmic jerking, and and begins to open its leaves again. In its own, botanical way, the plant has learned from its environment. The jerking stops, and resumes an hour later. The plant's leaves stay open. The jerking ends once more, and does not begin again until an entire month has passed. But Mimosa pudica does not react.

     This kind of "conditioning" in plants constitutes one of the most fascinating and controversial disciplines in life science: Plant Neurobiology. Often branded as anthropomorphising, Plant Neurobiology seeks to explain the intricate ways plants actively interact with their environment. Michael Pollan, in his article The Intelligent Plant, masterfully combined opinions and research on both side of the heated debate, while including enough anecdotal research and testimonies (such as the study above, by Monica Gagliano) compiled after an apparently long time.

     He begins at the extreme beginning of the plant neurobiology, a book titled The Secret Life of Plants. Contained within The New Yorker, a magazine with a wide variety of articles per issue, Pollan begins with these radical ideas to pique a peruser's interest. In the mentioned book, Cleve Backster describes plants that are able to pick out people who have killed other plants, respond to a distressed human, and exhibit sympathy. By beginning with this radical stance and fascinating examples, even though Pollan shows how they were all discredited, he effectively entertains his audience and draws them in.

    Pollan's goal in the article is not to provide credibility to plant neurobiology, it is simply to show the different sizes and simplify the mounting research in this amazing and applicable field. He himself describes lectures on the subject "highly technical" and a "kind of incremental science," something not likely to be popularized. To add intrigue, he employs imagery and anecdotes, such as the one I began by reciting, to interest his audience with radical research that can elicit contention or wonder.

   Overall, the article was very impressive. Pollan, though not an expert on the subject, clearly did a significant amount of research and applied his sources very well. He showed little bias, though he did include more stories of plants acting like animals than the professors who scoffed at the notion; I assume this is because they are simply more interesting.