As I was reading some people's essays and thinking about my own this thought came to my head: if personal essays are an argument that "consists of ones experience" then wouldn't some of the rhetorical essays we read last week also be considered personal essays? Martin Luther King Jr. talks about himself explaining racism to his children. Also the problems the authors are talking about are issues that they, themselves struggle with and personally experience everyday.
I was just wondering what they rest of the class was thinking so I thought I would post my question for everyone to comment on and hopefully I'll be able to understand this better.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Reading Log 4
In Virginia Woolf’s essay In Search of a Room of One’s Own. I think her purpose was to inform people of the impact women have had on society and the arts, and also to persuade them that women are just as competent and intelligent as men. Her audience was female college students at Cambridge, but as this was written down, probably expanded to people all over England and Europe . While Woolf was speaking to these young women she was probably also trying to encourage them to keep doing what they love and not to let anyone tell them they cannot because they are women.
To achieve her purpose and support her idea, Woolf uses mostly logos and ethos. Woolf uses a lot of facts and reasoning. She names off famous women in Shakespeare’s literature works such as Cleopatra, Antigone, Lady Macbeth, and Desdemona and states that these women are full of personality and character (383). She also points out that without these characters the stories would be dull and nonexistent because the stories revolve around them. Woolf adds that women are the prime subject of many of the male writers’ sonnets and songs, and that it is the women that bring about the inspiration for these to be written. Woolf continues by stating that women were not incapable of writing as well as men, rather they were just not given the opportunity. Most of the time they were married at a young age and not allowed to read or write, and those who were able to read and write well were often treated like witches or driven mad by society to the point of suicide (388). Since women were not allowed to publish without being punished, they were often forced to publish anonymously or under the name of a male. Therefore, if there was a female writer who was highly skilled no one would be able to acknowledge that it came from a woman. This was another setback that caused women to be viewed as inferior.
Woolf establishes credibility by using men as examples. Her prime example is Shakespeare. She refers to him throughout the entire text. This is a wise decision because he is considered the best playwright of all time and if she can convince an audience that Shakespeare knew the capabilities of women and inform them of the importance of women in his text, one cannot argue against her because no one would argue that Shakespeare was wrong.
In How it Feels to be Colored Me by Zora Hurston the author addresses an audience much different than Woolf. Her audience includes blacks and whites in the U.S. who are in favor of civil rights for blacks. Since Hurston’s audience already supports her, she does not need to try as hard to establish ethos. She is also writing for a journal which gives her some credibility to start with. I think Hurston is trying to reinforce the mindset that blacks and whites are no different from each other aside from pigmentation.
To help support her ideas, Hurston uses personal experience and pathos. She does this by, first, explaining the differences between her and whites, then, by showing she is no different. She explains that as a young child she never felt any different from anyone else and that she did not even realize she was “black” until she moved out of an area that was all black (139). Next she goes on to say that since she moved out of that community she is constantly being reminded that she is the “granddaughter of slaves (139.)” After this she states that since she is black and considered to be inferior to the whites she gets “twice as much praise or twice as much blame (141.)” This quote really gives the reader something to think about because it is paradoxical.
After this Hurston goes on to explain how she really has no race and she is just who she is. I found the metaphor of the brown bag really intriguing. On the outside it is just a brown bag and one would never know what is on the inside of the bag unless they take the time to open it. Much like a person, if you just look at them and judge them by their color, one would never really know what they are like on the inside. Also a black person could have many of the same qualities as a person of another race, but this will not be known by just looking at them.
The key to understanding Hurston’s argument requires a little bit more thought that Woolf’s argument. However, it also is more effective because it makes the audience really think about what is being said and they have to make sense of it on their own. I also think that Hurston’s essay is more of a personal essay while Woolf’s is not. I say that because Hurston’s essay related more directly to her and her life’s experience while Woolf’s was broad and generalized to all women’s experiences.
I would also say that Woolf’s essay still seems to be a little bit political. She is still trying really hard to get people to see the equality of women whereas Hurston’s ideas in her essay are already being supported by her audience. She is not really fighting to get people to see her point of view, she is merely reinforcing it.
One thing that is off topic from the prompt that I was curious about was the use of proper capitalization in Woolf’s essay. I thinking she could be doing this for one of two reasons, either to be rebellious or to be ironic. The rebellious side is obvious; she is breaking the writing rules to show that rules do not need to be followed. On the other hand, she could have been doing this purposely because women know the rules of writing and by using them improperly shows she is comfortable enough with them to not abide by them.
To achieve her purpose and support her idea, Woolf uses mostly logos and ethos. Woolf uses a lot of facts and reasoning. She names off famous women in Shakespeare’s literature works such as Cleopatra, Antigone, Lady Macbeth, and Desdemona and states that these women are full of personality and character (383). She also points out that without these characters the stories would be dull and nonexistent because the stories revolve around them. Woolf adds that women are the prime subject of many of the male writers’ sonnets and songs, and that it is the women that bring about the inspiration for these to be written. Woolf continues by stating that women were not incapable of writing as well as men, rather they were just not given the opportunity. Most of the time they were married at a young age and not allowed to read or write, and those who were able to read and write well were often treated like witches or driven mad by society to the point of suicide (388). Since women were not allowed to publish without being punished, they were often forced to publish anonymously or under the name of a male. Therefore, if there was a female writer who was highly skilled no one would be able to acknowledge that it came from a woman. This was another setback that caused women to be viewed as inferior.
Woolf establishes credibility by using men as examples. Her prime example is Shakespeare. She refers to him throughout the entire text. This is a wise decision because he is considered the best playwright of all time and if she can convince an audience that Shakespeare knew the capabilities of women and inform them of the importance of women in his text, one cannot argue against her because no one would argue that Shakespeare was wrong.
In How it Feels to be Colored Me by Zora Hurston the author addresses an audience much different than Woolf. Her audience includes blacks and whites in the U.S. who are in favor of civil rights for blacks. Since Hurston’s audience already supports her, she does not need to try as hard to establish ethos. She is also writing for a journal which gives her some credibility to start with. I think Hurston is trying to reinforce the mindset that blacks and whites are no different from each other aside from pigmentation.
To help support her ideas, Hurston uses personal experience and pathos. She does this by, first, explaining the differences between her and whites, then, by showing she is no different. She explains that as a young child she never felt any different from anyone else and that she did not even realize she was “black” until she moved out of an area that was all black (139). Next she goes on to say that since she moved out of that community she is constantly being reminded that she is the “granddaughter of slaves (139.)” After this she states that since she is black and considered to be inferior to the whites she gets “twice as much praise or twice as much blame (141.)” This quote really gives the reader something to think about because it is paradoxical.
After this Hurston goes on to explain how she really has no race and she is just who she is. I found the metaphor of the brown bag really intriguing. On the outside it is just a brown bag and one would never know what is on the inside of the bag unless they take the time to open it. Much like a person, if you just look at them and judge them by their color, one would never really know what they are like on the inside. Also a black person could have many of the same qualities as a person of another race, but this will not be known by just looking at them.
The key to understanding Hurston’s argument requires a little bit more thought that Woolf’s argument. However, it also is more effective because it makes the audience really think about what is being said and they have to make sense of it on their own. I also think that Hurston’s essay is more of a personal essay while Woolf’s is not. I say that because Hurston’s essay related more directly to her and her life’s experience while Woolf’s was broad and generalized to all women’s experiences.
I would also say that Woolf’s essay still seems to be a little bit political. She is still trying really hard to get people to see the equality of women whereas Hurston’s ideas in her essay are already being supported by her audience. She is not really fighting to get people to see her point of view, she is merely reinforcing it.
One thing that is off topic from the prompt that I was curious about was the use of proper capitalization in Woolf’s essay. I thinking she could be doing this for one of two reasons, either to be rebellious or to be ironic. The rebellious side is obvious; she is breaking the writing rules to show that rules do not need to be followed. On the other hand, she could have been doing this purposely because women know the rules of writing and by using them improperly shows she is comfortable enough with them to not abide by them.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Writing Log 3
I just want to start off by saying I think this was the most intense writing process I've ever put myself through. Normally I do not put so much time into revising my paper, but after really getting a feel for how it should be done I think it was much easier to spend a lot of time revising this paper. I made quite a few changes and added more material so that my paper made more sense and flowed together well.
The most difficult part about this essay was figuring out wording for my thoughts and trying to keep my thoughts organized. Actually reading Dr. King's essay and analyzing it was my favorite part. He has always been one of my favorite people in history mainly because of what he stood for and how he went about fighting for what he believed it. He served as such a great symbol for world peace, and because of him so much change for the better was able to come about in our country.
My main concern about my essay is that it is could probably be a little bit more interesting. I find it difficult to make my papers interesting when I am writing about an existing piece of work. This is probably because I follow a particular formula and use more logic than emotion when writing these kinds of papers. Maybe in another essay I could try to break away from that formula and make my paper more exciting.
The most difficult part about this essay was figuring out wording for my thoughts and trying to keep my thoughts organized. Actually reading Dr. King's essay and analyzing it was my favorite part. He has always been one of my favorite people in history mainly because of what he stood for and how he went about fighting for what he believed it. He served as such a great symbol for world peace, and because of him so much change for the better was able to come about in our country.
My main concern about my essay is that it is could probably be a little bit more interesting. I find it difficult to make my papers interesting when I am writing about an existing piece of work. This is probably because I follow a particular formula and use more logic than emotion when writing these kinds of papers. Maybe in another essay I could try to break away from that formula and make my paper more exciting.
Final Draft: A Look at Martin Luther King Jr.'s Persuasive Abilities in A Letter From Birmingham Jail
When one thinks of world peace, names like Gandhi and Mother Theresa come to mind. Another name that is never forgotten is Martin Luther King Jr.. During the time that A Letter from Birmingham Jail was written, African Americans faced a daily struggle to fit in with society. Dr. King, however, did not feel this was fair or morally right, and he was not afraid to speak his mind. King was effective at getting his opinion across in a peaceful, nonviolent way that people could relate to. The reason King was such a powerful figure, and is still remembered as such today, is because he knew how to use logos, ethos, and pathos to make a true connection with the audience not matter their views on the issue he was arguing.
In King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he does a good job of addressing his audience, eleven clergymen, while also trying to get the general population of the South to see segregation is wrong. This was a difficult task because the direct audience, the clergymen, had criticized him in a previous letter, which meant they already had a disagreement with him. Also, the indirect audience members were already set in their ways of separation. While writing this letter, King is on the defense and is considered inferior by these white clergymen and the white people of America. Knowing this, King must try to find a common ground. He does so by saying the following, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms(154).” This really helps King because he is able to let the audience know that he recognizes them as good men and that he is not trying to be irrational. Another way King makes a connection to his audience is through his tone. He knows the audience is not going to be open-minded right away and this affects his tone and word choice. His tone is not hateful or angry, but instead, it is very respectful and calm. His voice is very strong and he uses word choice that shows he is educated and not ignorant. When people are in disagreement they generally do not take well to someone who is being disrespectful, condescending, or illogical. For this reason it is crucial that King made the connection the way that he did.
After King acknowledges and establishes a common ground with his audience, he eases into his claim. He says, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative (155).” King is basically saying blacks have no other choice but to make themselves heard through protest because nothing else has worked.
To support this claim, King goes on to list four basic steps to a nonviolent campaign. They include “Collection of the facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (155).” After this, King goes on to state how he has been through all of these steps and, finally, has had to resort to direct action. King also brings pathos into play here. He provides examples such as bombing of Negro churches and homes, refusal from whites to take down racial signs outside of stores, failure of fair negotiation from city fathers, and repeatedly putting off direct action until it could no longer be ignored(156). King’s use of pathos allows him to really draw the audience in on a level that cannot be achieved through logos and ethos because emotion often gets the best of people.
Another reason King uses to support his claim is that blacks have been forced to wait and wait, but have gotten nothing from this waiting. He said, “This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never’ (158).” He also points out that blacks have waited over 340 years for their “God-given” right (158). He also points out that through all this waiting, small things, such as being able to get a cup of coffee at the same lunch counter as a white man, is not allowed. After this, King uses pathos once again. He goes on about how blacks are constantly being killed by policemen and lynched or drown by mobs of white men. Then he talks about how his children cannot seem to grasp the concept of racism. His six-year-old daughter does not understand why she is not allowed to go to the amusement park like the white kids, and his five-year-old son does not understand why whites are mean to blacks (158-159). This really illustrates that racism is something that must be taught to children for them to learn it and that it does, in fact, go against human nature. It also creates a vivid image for many people because no one can argue the innocence of a child, no matter what their race. Dr. King finishes his point that blacks have had to wait for too long by saying, “I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience (159).” The words “legitimate” and “unavoidable” show that he feels his actions could not wait any longer.
King uses logos to showcase his point that the laws dealing with segregation are unjust. He states that he has no problem abiding by a just law, but a law that is unjust is not legitimate and, therefore, does not need to be obeyed. He categorizes an unjust law as “a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law and that degrades human personality (159-160).” Then he defines a just law as, “Any law that uplifts the human personality (160).” After this he uses deductive reasoning and states that segregation degrades the soul and damages personality; therefore, it is unjust. King not only uses logos to prove this law is unjust, but he also makes good use of ethos to establish credibility. He talks about the early Christians defying the Romans, Socrates practicing civil disobedience, and people rebelling during the Boston Tea Party. Most people would agree that, although these acts were technically wrong or illegal, they were actually for a greater good (161). The reference to the early Christians was King’s most effective example because he is writing to religious leaders. Another credible source he uses is St. Augustine who said, “An unjust law is no law at all (159).” King’s final example talked about Hitler’s genocide on Jews and how it was technically legal, but anyone in their right mind would see this as inhumane. The examples Dr. King uses make it hard for anyone to argue against him.
Finally King uses the idea that being an “extremist” is not always a bad thing as long as you are being an extremist for love. This is another good example of King’s use of logos. He points out that Jesus, Paul, Amos, Abraham Lincon, and John Bunyan were all considered extremists of their time, but they were not wrong in their doings. King goes into greater detail about how Jesus was crucified with two other men who were also considered extremists, but for hate, and that one could not categorize Jesus and these criminals as being the same kind of extremist (165-166). This also would have appealed strongly to the clergymen who cannot argue that Jesus was wrong in anything that he did or that he would have done anything hateful. This allows a parallel to be made between Jesus and King as extremists of love.
At the end of King’s essay, he goes back to reestablish a connection with his audience. He says if the clergymen found him unreasonable and impatient, he would like their forgiveness. He also tries to find common ground and establish credibility by pointing out that they are all clergymen and Christian brothers (172). This shows he is sincere and also leaves them to think about their Christian values over society’s status quo.
A letter from Birmingham Jail is a great example of how an author can use rhetorical appeals to persuade an audience. Through his tone, logos, ethos, and pathos, King was able to connect to the audience and make them see the other side of things no matter their original view. Even if the audience was not completely persuaded, King presented his opinion in a way that got readers to at least give his ideas a second thought which is just as satisfying.
King, Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: Norton, 2008. 153–172.
In King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he does a good job of addressing his audience, eleven clergymen, while also trying to get the general population of the South to see segregation is wrong. This was a difficult task because the direct audience, the clergymen, had criticized him in a previous letter, which meant they already had a disagreement with him. Also, the indirect audience members were already set in their ways of separation. While writing this letter, King is on the defense and is considered inferior by these white clergymen and the white people of America. Knowing this, King must try to find a common ground. He does so by saying the following, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms(154).” This really helps King because he is able to let the audience know that he recognizes them as good men and that he is not trying to be irrational. Another way King makes a connection to his audience is through his tone. He knows the audience is not going to be open-minded right away and this affects his tone and word choice. His tone is not hateful or angry, but instead, it is very respectful and calm. His voice is very strong and he uses word choice that shows he is educated and not ignorant. When people are in disagreement they generally do not take well to someone who is being disrespectful, condescending, or illogical. For this reason it is crucial that King made the connection the way that he did.
After King acknowledges and establishes a common ground with his audience, he eases into his claim. He says, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative (155).” King is basically saying blacks have no other choice but to make themselves heard through protest because nothing else has worked.
To support this claim, King goes on to list four basic steps to a nonviolent campaign. They include “Collection of the facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (155).” After this, King goes on to state how he has been through all of these steps and, finally, has had to resort to direct action. King also brings pathos into play here. He provides examples such as bombing of Negro churches and homes, refusal from whites to take down racial signs outside of stores, failure of fair negotiation from city fathers, and repeatedly putting off direct action until it could no longer be ignored(156). King’s use of pathos allows him to really draw the audience in on a level that cannot be achieved through logos and ethos because emotion often gets the best of people.
Another reason King uses to support his claim is that blacks have been forced to wait and wait, but have gotten nothing from this waiting. He said, “This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never’ (158).” He also points out that blacks have waited over 340 years for their “God-given” right (158). He also points out that through all this waiting, small things, such as being able to get a cup of coffee at the same lunch counter as a white man, is not allowed. After this, King uses pathos once again. He goes on about how blacks are constantly being killed by policemen and lynched or drown by mobs of white men. Then he talks about how his children cannot seem to grasp the concept of racism. His six-year-old daughter does not understand why she is not allowed to go to the amusement park like the white kids, and his five-year-old son does not understand why whites are mean to blacks (158-159). This really illustrates that racism is something that must be taught to children for them to learn it and that it does, in fact, go against human nature. It also creates a vivid image for many people because no one can argue the innocence of a child, no matter what their race. Dr. King finishes his point that blacks have had to wait for too long by saying, “I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience (159).” The words “legitimate” and “unavoidable” show that he feels his actions could not wait any longer.
King uses logos to showcase his point that the laws dealing with segregation are unjust. He states that he has no problem abiding by a just law, but a law that is unjust is not legitimate and, therefore, does not need to be obeyed. He categorizes an unjust law as “a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law and that degrades human personality (159-160).” Then he defines a just law as, “Any law that uplifts the human personality (160).” After this he uses deductive reasoning and states that segregation degrades the soul and damages personality; therefore, it is unjust. King not only uses logos to prove this law is unjust, but he also makes good use of ethos to establish credibility. He talks about the early Christians defying the Romans, Socrates practicing civil disobedience, and people rebelling during the Boston Tea Party. Most people would agree that, although these acts were technically wrong or illegal, they were actually for a greater good (161). The reference to the early Christians was King’s most effective example because he is writing to religious leaders. Another credible source he uses is St. Augustine who said, “An unjust law is no law at all (159).” King’s final example talked about Hitler’s genocide on Jews and how it was technically legal, but anyone in their right mind would see this as inhumane. The examples Dr. King uses make it hard for anyone to argue against him.
Finally King uses the idea that being an “extremist” is not always a bad thing as long as you are being an extremist for love. This is another good example of King’s use of logos. He points out that Jesus, Paul, Amos, Abraham Lincon, and John Bunyan were all considered extremists of their time, but they were not wrong in their doings. King goes into greater detail about how Jesus was crucified with two other men who were also considered extremists, but for hate, and that one could not categorize Jesus and these criminals as being the same kind of extremist (165-166). This also would have appealed strongly to the clergymen who cannot argue that Jesus was wrong in anything that he did or that he would have done anything hateful. This allows a parallel to be made between Jesus and King as extremists of love.
At the end of King’s essay, he goes back to reestablish a connection with his audience. He says if the clergymen found him unreasonable and impatient, he would like their forgiveness. He also tries to find common ground and establish credibility by pointing out that they are all clergymen and Christian brothers (172). This shows he is sincere and also leaves them to think about their Christian values over society’s status quo.
A letter from Birmingham Jail is a great example of how an author can use rhetorical appeals to persuade an audience. Through his tone, logos, ethos, and pathos, King was able to connect to the audience and make them see the other side of things no matter their original view. Even if the audience was not completely persuaded, King presented his opinion in a way that got readers to at least give his ideas a second thought which is just as satisfying.
King, Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: Norton, 2008. 153–172.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Writing Log 2
I feel the input my peers gave me was helpful. As Kelsey stated, I did not clearly state my claim; it was more implied. In my final draft I am going to make sure my claim is obvious to the reader along with being arguable, specific, managable, and interesting.
Also as Shawn pointed out I do not have a lot of personal input, it is more just evidence and more or less just reinforcing King's words. In my final draft I will also add more personal opinion.
I think I also need to go back and reread A letter from Birmingham Jail at least one more time to make sure I have not overlooked anything and that I really understand it. After that I plan on going back over my essay and questioning what I have already written.
I would also like to check the organization of my paper and make sure it is ordered and presented in the way that I think is best for the reader to take in.
I think the strengths of my paper are that I address the rhetoric appeals well and that I have sufficient evidence to support them. However, as I said before, my paper needs to have a more obvious claim and more personal opinion. I feel my paper could also use a stronger introduction and conclusion. Overall, I think it was a descent first draft but it could definitely use some improvement.
Also as Shawn pointed out I do not have a lot of personal input, it is more just evidence and more or less just reinforcing King's words. In my final draft I will also add more personal opinion.
I think I also need to go back and reread A letter from Birmingham Jail at least one more time to make sure I have not overlooked anything and that I really understand it. After that I plan on going back over my essay and questioning what I have already written.
I would also like to check the organization of my paper and make sure it is ordered and presented in the way that I think is best for the reader to take in.
I think the strengths of my paper are that I address the rhetoric appeals well and that I have sufficient evidence to support them. However, as I said before, my paper needs to have a more obvious claim and more personal opinion. I feel my paper could also use a stronger introduction and conclusion. Overall, I think it was a descent first draft but it could definitely use some improvement.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Success with Rhetroric Appeals in A Letter From Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King Jr. faced some very tough situations in his life. His fight for an end to segregation and, furthermore, racism was not easy. Although segregation and racism are not as prevalent today, they still exist in many places. However, Dr. King made a huge impact on lowering the amount of segregation and racism seen across America. Besides from King’s many nonviolent protests and sit-ins, his letters and speeches also helped in this reduction. Today many of his works are studied and many children across the United States can quote at least a few of King’s memorable words.
In King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he is writing a letter to elevan clergymen and trying to get the general population of the South to see segregation is wrong. His direct audience is white clergymen who had criticized him in a previous letter, and, more importantly, his indirect audience is the people of America. While writing this letter, King is on the defense and is considered inferior by these white clergymen and the white people of America. Knowing this, King must try to find a common ground. He does so by saying the following, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms(154).” Right here King states that he acknowledges these men are good people and tells them he is being as understandable as possible. Another way King makes a connection to his audience is through his tone. He knows the audience is not going to be open-minded right away and this affects his tone and word choice. His tone is not hateful or angry, but instead, he is very respectful and calm. His voice is very strong and he uses word choice that shows he is educated and not ignorant.
King’s claim does not come right in the beginning of his letter. He establishes common ground in his introduction instead and then eases into the claim. He said, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative (155).” King is basically saying blacks have no other choice but to make themselves heard through protest because nothing else has worked.
To support this claim, King goes on to list four basic steps to a nonviolent campaign. They include “Collection of the facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (155).” After this, King goes on to state how he has been through all of these steps and, finally, has had to resort to direct action. King also brings pathos into play here. He provides examples such as bombing of Negro churches and homes, refusal from whites to take down racial signs outside of stores, failure of fair negotiation from city fathers, and repeatedly putting off direct action until it could no longer be ignored(156).
Another reason King uses to support his claim is that blacks have been forced to wait and wait, but have gotten nothing from this waiting. He said, “This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never’ (158).” He also points out that they have waited over 340 years for their “God-given” right (158). He also points out that through all this waiting small things, such as being able to get a cup of coffee at the same lunch counter as a white man, is not allowed. After this, King uses pathos once again. He goes on about how blacks are constantly being killed by policemen and lynched or drown by mobs of white men. Then he talks about how his children cannot seem to grasp the concept of racism. His six-year-old daughter does not understand why she is not allowed to do what the white kids are allowed to do, and his five-year-old son does not understand why whites are mean to blacks (158-159). This really illustrates that racism is not something that comes natural and that it does, in fact, go against human nature. It also creates a vivid image for many people because no one can argue the innocence of a child, no matter what their race. Dr. King finishes off this reason by saying, “I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience (159).” The words legitimate and unavoidable show that his cause is worthy and it could not wait anymore. This statement alone supports his claim.
Another key point King makes is that the laws are unjust. He states he has no problem abiding by a just law, but a law that is unjust is not legitimate and, therefore, does not necessarily need to be obeyed. He categorizes an unjust law as a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law and that degrades human personality (159-160). Then he defines a just law as, “Any law that uplifts the human personality (160).” After this he goes on to state that segregation degrades the soul and damages personality and, therefore, is unjust. King uses significant references to establish credibility. He talks about the early Christians defying the Romans, Socrates practicing civil disobedience, and people rebelling during the Boston Tea Party. Most people would agree that, although these acts were technically wrong, they were actually for a greater good (161). The reference to the early Christians was King’s most effective example because he was writing to religious leaders. Another credible source he uses is St. Augustine who said, “An unjust law is no law at all (159).” King’s final example talked about Hitler’s genocide on Jews and how it was technically legal, but anyone in their right mind would see this as inhumane.
Finally King uses the idea that being an “extremist” is not always a bad thing if you are being an extremist for love. This is one good example of King’s use of logos. He points out that Jesus, Paul, Amos, Abraham Lincon, and John Bunyan were all considered extremists of their time, but they were not wrong in their doings. King goes into greater detail about how Jesus was crucified with two other men who were also considered extremists, but for hate (165-166). This also would have appealed strongly to the clergymen who cannot argue that Jesus was wrong in anything that he did or that he would have done anything hateful. The parallel can then be made between Jesus and King, that they were both extremists of love.
At the end of King’s essay, he goes back to reestablish a connection with his audience. He says if the clergymen found him unreasonable and impatient, he would like their forgiveness. He also tries to find common ground once again by pointing out that they are all clergymen and Christian brothers (172). This shows he is sincere and also leaves them to think about their Christian values over society’s status quo.
Work Cited
King, Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: Norton, 2008. 153–172.
In King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he is writing a letter to elevan clergymen and trying to get the general population of the South to see segregation is wrong. His direct audience is white clergymen who had criticized him in a previous letter, and, more importantly, his indirect audience is the people of America. While writing this letter, King is on the defense and is considered inferior by these white clergymen and the white people of America. Knowing this, King must try to find a common ground. He does so by saying the following, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms(154).” Right here King states that he acknowledges these men are good people and tells them he is being as understandable as possible. Another way King makes a connection to his audience is through his tone. He knows the audience is not going to be open-minded right away and this affects his tone and word choice. His tone is not hateful or angry, but instead, he is very respectful and calm. His voice is very strong and he uses word choice that shows he is educated and not ignorant.
King’s claim does not come right in the beginning of his letter. He establishes common ground in his introduction instead and then eases into the claim. He said, “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative (155).” King is basically saying blacks have no other choice but to make themselves heard through protest because nothing else has worked.
To support this claim, King goes on to list four basic steps to a nonviolent campaign. They include “Collection of the facts to determine whether injustice exists, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (155).” After this, King goes on to state how he has been through all of these steps and, finally, has had to resort to direct action. King also brings pathos into play here. He provides examples such as bombing of Negro churches and homes, refusal from whites to take down racial signs outside of stores, failure of fair negotiation from city fathers, and repeatedly putting off direct action until it could no longer be ignored(156).
Another reason King uses to support his claim is that blacks have been forced to wait and wait, but have gotten nothing from this waiting. He said, “This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never’ (158).” He also points out that they have waited over 340 years for their “God-given” right (158). He also points out that through all this waiting small things, such as being able to get a cup of coffee at the same lunch counter as a white man, is not allowed. After this, King uses pathos once again. He goes on about how blacks are constantly being killed by policemen and lynched or drown by mobs of white men. Then he talks about how his children cannot seem to grasp the concept of racism. His six-year-old daughter does not understand why she is not allowed to do what the white kids are allowed to do, and his five-year-old son does not understand why whites are mean to blacks (158-159). This really illustrates that racism is not something that comes natural and that it does, in fact, go against human nature. It also creates a vivid image for many people because no one can argue the innocence of a child, no matter what their race. Dr. King finishes off this reason by saying, “I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience (159).” The words legitimate and unavoidable show that his cause is worthy and it could not wait anymore. This statement alone supports his claim.
Another key point King makes is that the laws are unjust. He states he has no problem abiding by a just law, but a law that is unjust is not legitimate and, therefore, does not necessarily need to be obeyed. He categorizes an unjust law as a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law and that degrades human personality (159-160). Then he defines a just law as, “Any law that uplifts the human personality (160).” After this he goes on to state that segregation degrades the soul and damages personality and, therefore, is unjust. King uses significant references to establish credibility. He talks about the early Christians defying the Romans, Socrates practicing civil disobedience, and people rebelling during the Boston Tea Party. Most people would agree that, although these acts were technically wrong, they were actually for a greater good (161). The reference to the early Christians was King’s most effective example because he was writing to religious leaders. Another credible source he uses is St. Augustine who said, “An unjust law is no law at all (159).” King’s final example talked about Hitler’s genocide on Jews and how it was technically legal, but anyone in their right mind would see this as inhumane.
Finally King uses the idea that being an “extremist” is not always a bad thing if you are being an extremist for love. This is one good example of King’s use of logos. He points out that Jesus, Paul, Amos, Abraham Lincon, and John Bunyan were all considered extremists of their time, but they were not wrong in their doings. King goes into greater detail about how Jesus was crucified with two other men who were also considered extremists, but for hate (165-166). This also would have appealed strongly to the clergymen who cannot argue that Jesus was wrong in anything that he did or that he would have done anything hateful. The parallel can then be made between Jesus and King, that they were both extremists of love.
At the end of King’s essay, he goes back to reestablish a connection with his audience. He says if the clergymen found him unreasonable and impatient, he would like their forgiveness. He also tries to find common ground once again by pointing out that they are all clergymen and Christian brothers (172). This shows he is sincere and also leaves them to think about their Christian values over society’s status quo.
Work Cited
King, Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Seagull Reader: Essays. 2nd ed. Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York: Norton, 2008. 153–172.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Writing Log 1
I cannot say that I popped some Riddalin and then took 3 shots of tequila like Rivers Cuomo before I started this writing process, but I did have a process of steps that I took before sitting down and getting to this point. I find it better to write at night time because my mind is cleared and I am not focused on what else I'm going to do later on in the day or being pressed for time. I can sit down and take my time. I also feel most awake at night time, which is a little odd, but I kinda like being a night owl sometimes. I contemplated writing this paper all day but then decieded it would be best to start it after I had spent the day with my dad, who is amazing, and the rest of my family since today was Father's Day. Then I figured it was time to do school work. Before I can start any school work my mind has to be clear. One thing that really helps is taking a shower because there's no better feeling than being squeeky clean and relaxed. Next I had to grab a small snack and some water for brain food; it's difficult to work on an unfull stomach. Finally, I turned on my fan and closed the door to my room to ensure peace and quiet and set a good environment.
Now that I have done everything possible to avoid writing this paper and have no more excuses, I can finally start the prewriting stage. I would say I spend most of my time prewriting and planning. Then, once I get going, I finish all the way through and come back to make changes as necessary. One step I usually skip over is the revising stage, so hopefully by doing that during this class I can become a better writer.
Now that I have done everything possible to avoid writing this paper and have no more excuses, I can finally start the prewriting stage. I would say I spend most of my time prewriting and planning. Then, once I get going, I finish all the way through and come back to make changes as necessary. One step I usually skip over is the revising stage, so hopefully by doing that during this class I can become a better writer.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Reading Log 3
These two essays are extremely different. The tones are particualrly differnt due to topic, occasion, and purpose. Lincon's speech is not so much one that is asking the audience for something, but, more or less, telling them how things are going to be. He sort of lays down his plans for the people of America to let him know what his ideas are. However, in a way he is hoping they will adopt these ideas because it is always easier for a president to deal with things when people agree with them. On the other hand, Thoreau's tone is full of rage and opposition. He is fed up with how the government is running things and wants people to help change this. It is ok for him to take on this tone because his audience shares the same view, but this would not be a successful approach if he were writing to an audience that supported the war.
Another big difference is the authors' use of pathos. Thoreau's tone compliments his pathos. He uses the feeling of rage to draw in and persuade his audience. When he mentions how the soldiers are looked down upon, a feeling of fury can be felt. He says they get no more respect than a lump of dirt, and they are worth no more than a horse, yet they are human beings (324). Anyone who is in the military or has a loved one in the military would read this and feel very angry or upset with this fact. Invoking people's emotions is a good way to get people to act so this was a good decision on Thoreau's part. Unlike Thoreau, Lincon does not use much pathos; instead, he uses more logic. He states facts instead of appealing to people's emotions. He does not really give the people the choice to think on their own, but rather manipulates them by saying slavery is going to stay around instead of opening a debate whether it should be outlawed or not.
One thing theses essays have in common is that there is not much of a need for ethos. Lincon is automatically going to have a lot credibility because he is the president of the United States and the majority of the people like him and his views. If this was not the case, they would not have elected him. Also, Lincon is going to have support from his audience because they also voted for him based on his ideas. He even states, "Those of you who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this, and many similar declarations, and had never recanted them (207)." Likewise, Thoreau is writing to people who already support him. He is just trying to convince them to act on it.
In both Lincon and Obama’s speeches they share a similar audience, the people of America after being newly elected. Both Lincon and Obama use ethos to their advantage. Obama’s speech really makes use of pathos. He wants the audience to feel they have made the right decision and gain support of those who did not vote for him and emotion is the easiest way to gain that support. As I stated earlier, Lincon used more logos. Although these two presidents used different approaches in their speeches, comparing them illustrates that there is more than one possible approach to constructing an essay and each approach can be just as effective as the other.
Another big difference is the authors' use of pathos. Thoreau's tone compliments his pathos. He uses the feeling of rage to draw in and persuade his audience. When he mentions how the soldiers are looked down upon, a feeling of fury can be felt. He says they get no more respect than a lump of dirt, and they are worth no more than a horse, yet they are human beings (324). Anyone who is in the military or has a loved one in the military would read this and feel very angry or upset with this fact. Invoking people's emotions is a good way to get people to act so this was a good decision on Thoreau's part. Unlike Thoreau, Lincon does not use much pathos; instead, he uses more logic. He states facts instead of appealing to people's emotions. He does not really give the people the choice to think on their own, but rather manipulates them by saying slavery is going to stay around instead of opening a debate whether it should be outlawed or not.
One thing theses essays have in common is that there is not much of a need for ethos. Lincon is automatically going to have a lot credibility because he is the president of the United States and the majority of the people like him and his views. If this was not the case, they would not have elected him. Also, Lincon is going to have support from his audience because they also voted for him based on his ideas. He even states, "Those of you who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this, and many similar declarations, and had never recanted them (207)." Likewise, Thoreau is writing to people who already support him. He is just trying to convince them to act on it.
In both Lincon and Obama’s speeches they share a similar audience, the people of America after being newly elected. Both Lincon and Obama use ethos to their advantage. Obama’s speech really makes use of pathos. He wants the audience to feel they have made the right decision and gain support of those who did not vote for him and emotion is the easiest way to gain that support. As I stated earlier, Lincon used more logos. Although these two presidents used different approaches in their speeches, comparing them illustrates that there is more than one possible approach to constructing an essay and each approach can be just as effective as the other.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Reading Log 2
At first when I was reading Swift's piece I thought there was no logic used at all. However, after carefully looking it over I realize he actually uses a lot of logic but in a unique way. It is almost as if he uses illogical ways to make sense of things. He gets the reader to think to extremes to point out the people of Ireland are almost at these extremes by doing what they think is ok. He shows such an extreme view of people eating babies to illustrate that even something this outrageous can be compared to the terrible acts these people are already committing and finding nothing wrong with them. In other words, he is saying that people are already murdering their babies and having abortions so why not get money for doing that and do away with famine at the same time. I think the purpose of him doing this is to open people's eyes and show them that what they are already doing is not any different than his idea which only has a couple things added to it.
Swift also uses ethos in his writing. He does not use the credibility of his own name because this was published anonymously, rather he uses his friends or people he knows that would be recognized as credible. For example, he refers a lot to his friend in London and people in America. These people, at this time, were thought of to be successful and part of a wealthy country. America was still part of England at the time but was fairly new and not suffering from poverty like Ireland was at the time. This would give the idea that listening to what these wealthy people had to say might also help these people become wealthy too, or at least get out of poverty.
Finally Swift’s use of pathos was hard for me to figure out. I would say he appeals to people's disgust and in hope that they would realize they were not truly disgusted by his ways, but instead, in their own ways which were just as bad.
I would say Swift's strongest rhetorical appeal would have been his logos. This presentation of backwards logic should really grab the reader’s attention and make them question their actions. However, the logic could not stand on its own without the reader connecting to that feeling of disgust forcing them to call their own actions into question.
Martin Luther King Jr. connects to his audience by saying, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms (154).” Later on when he is talking about America as a whole he says, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly (155).” Since King’s audience is white people who are at least somewhat prejudice if not extremely prejudice, they are not going to be easily persuaded by him. In fact, they are not even going to want to listen to what he has to say unless it really catches their attention.
Because King has such a tough audience and he knows this he needed to use every rhetoric appeal possible. He uses logic by talking about broken promises such as racial signs not being removed from stores and city leaders refusing to negotiate fairly (156). He also gives other examples that demonstrate how blacks were treated unfairly. This shows that he has a reasonable cause to be upset.
King also uses pathos to draw the audience’s emotions into the picture. He tells the audience that black people go through seeing their family killed, not being able to stay in motels but instead sleeping in their cars, being called names, and having to explain to their children that they can’t do the same things as white children can because of their skin color which causes the little kids to resent white people (158).
King makes sure he also uses ethos. As a black man who is looked down upon by his audience it would be hard for him to use himself as a credible source and King recognizes this. Therefore he uses people that even white people will think of as credible such as early Christians, Socrates, and people who participated in the Boston Tea party. He points out that all of these people were breaking the law but brings into question whether they were really doing anything wrong (161). This is a good analogy that King uses to point out that his situation is no different than any of the ones he mentioned.
I think King was much more thoughtful and organized in his rhetoric than Obama was in his. King was faced with a very tough audience but still managed to argue very good points. On the other hand, Obama was surrounded with both people who supported him and others that did not, so he did not need to establish the same kind of common ground. Obama also did not have the as good of a delivery as King did. King also had to find a way to establish ethos without using himself and had a much stronger use of pathos in his speech.
Obama was able to use that face that he was in the presence of all Democrats in his first two situations which automatically established a common ground for him. This gave him a little boost to be able to persuade those people to vote for him. Alternatively, King being in jail and having people oppose him was not an easy situation, but he was able to use all the bad experiences he had been through to appeal to the emotions of his audience and open their eyes to how poorly blacks really were treated.
Swift also uses ethos in his writing. He does not use the credibility of his own name because this was published anonymously, rather he uses his friends or people he knows that would be recognized as credible. For example, he refers a lot to his friend in London and people in America. These people, at this time, were thought of to be successful and part of a wealthy country. America was still part of England at the time but was fairly new and not suffering from poverty like Ireland was at the time. This would give the idea that listening to what these wealthy people had to say might also help these people become wealthy too, or at least get out of poverty.
Finally Swift’s use of pathos was hard for me to figure out. I would say he appeals to people's disgust and in hope that they would realize they were not truly disgusted by his ways, but instead, in their own ways which were just as bad.
I would say Swift's strongest rhetorical appeal would have been his logos. This presentation of backwards logic should really grab the reader’s attention and make them question their actions. However, the logic could not stand on its own without the reader connecting to that feeling of disgust forcing them to call their own actions into question.
Martin Luther King Jr. connects to his audience by saying, “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms (154).” Later on when he is talking about America as a whole he says, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly (155).” Since King’s audience is white people who are at least somewhat prejudice if not extremely prejudice, they are not going to be easily persuaded by him. In fact, they are not even going to want to listen to what he has to say unless it really catches their attention.
Because King has such a tough audience and he knows this he needed to use every rhetoric appeal possible. He uses logic by talking about broken promises such as racial signs not being removed from stores and city leaders refusing to negotiate fairly (156). He also gives other examples that demonstrate how blacks were treated unfairly. This shows that he has a reasonable cause to be upset.
King also uses pathos to draw the audience’s emotions into the picture. He tells the audience that black people go through seeing their family killed, not being able to stay in motels but instead sleeping in their cars, being called names, and having to explain to their children that they can’t do the same things as white children can because of their skin color which causes the little kids to resent white people (158).
King makes sure he also uses ethos. As a black man who is looked down upon by his audience it would be hard for him to use himself as a credible source and King recognizes this. Therefore he uses people that even white people will think of as credible such as early Christians, Socrates, and people who participated in the Boston Tea party. He points out that all of these people were breaking the law but brings into question whether they were really doing anything wrong (161). This is a good analogy that King uses to point out that his situation is no different than any of the ones he mentioned.
I think King was much more thoughtful and organized in his rhetoric than Obama was in his. King was faced with a very tough audience but still managed to argue very good points. On the other hand, Obama was surrounded with both people who supported him and others that did not, so he did not need to establish the same kind of common ground. Obama also did not have the as good of a delivery as King did. King also had to find a way to establish ethos without using himself and had a much stronger use of pathos in his speech.
Obama was able to use that face that he was in the presence of all Democrats in his first two situations which automatically established a common ground for him. This gave him a little boost to be able to persuade those people to vote for him. Alternatively, King being in jail and having people oppose him was not an easy situation, but he was able to use all the bad experiences he had been through to appeal to the emotions of his audience and open their eyes to how poorly blacks really were treated.
Reading Log 1
In Kelly’s book he presents the ideas of essays as a way to explore a topic from new angles to learn more about them (3). Before reading this I would have agreed with Kelly’s very first description of an essay as a way to test knowledge. However, once I thought about it, I realized the true purpose of writing essays previously in school was to test a student’s knowledge on how well they could look at a particular topic from different angles. Therefore, I would say my previous definition of an essay would be a combination of Kelly’s two definitions.
Kelly also talked about how to read an essay which included looking at what the author was trying to accomplish, who the author was targeting, or was the author just presenting it from a new angle (5). None of these things cross my mind when I am reading just for fun or for any class besides English. When I typically read, I read for information and facts or to find out more about something. Even when I am reading fiction I am subconsciously focusing on find out information to put pieces of the story together. I also have not considered some of the things Kelly suggested thinking about even when I was reading for previous English classes. One thing that particularly stood out to me was questioning who the author was writing for. I never thought about that before, but that can actually give a lot of information and help when interpreting writing.
After talking about how to read an essay, Kelly talked about two different kinds of essays, rhetorical and personal. I think the reason these two differ is because they are written from two different points of view. The personal essay is most likely going to contain more pathos because it is much easier to convey one’s feelings when it is their own story. For example, if someone were to write an essay telling people about how they personally experienced their house being blown away by a tornado would have a lot more emotion and detail than a rhetorical essay that is trying to convince people to donate time an money to people who have suffered from natural disaster. That person could include things like how they lost their favorite possession or how difficult it was to find somewhere else to live and start all over. They would be telling it from a first-hand experience and could tell you exactly how they felt through that tragic experience. On the other hand, someone who might just be getting you to try to help out but did not necessarily undergo that experience would not be able to share such details. Their essay would have to be broader. They could include part of the story about someone who lost their house but most likely it will not appeal to the audience the same way. There would still be a use of pathos but they may not be as strong.
Also, a personal essay does not come out and make a point to persuade people. Although someone’s story about losing their house to a natural disaster might give someone the idea to help out others who have also lost a lot due to natural disaster, it was not necessarily the author’s purpose. Meanwhile, rhetorical essays have an argument and whether it is subtle or not, it is still there.
After reading Kelly's introduction on essays, my eyes have been opened to new ways of intrepreting literature and getting more out of it. He pointed out that there is a lot more to essays than just words on a page.
Kelly also talked about how to read an essay which included looking at what the author was trying to accomplish, who the author was targeting, or was the author just presenting it from a new angle (5). None of these things cross my mind when I am reading just for fun or for any class besides English. When I typically read, I read for information and facts or to find out more about something. Even when I am reading fiction I am subconsciously focusing on find out information to put pieces of the story together. I also have not considered some of the things Kelly suggested thinking about even when I was reading for previous English classes. One thing that particularly stood out to me was questioning who the author was writing for. I never thought about that before, but that can actually give a lot of information and help when interpreting writing.
After talking about how to read an essay, Kelly talked about two different kinds of essays, rhetorical and personal. I think the reason these two differ is because they are written from two different points of view. The personal essay is most likely going to contain more pathos because it is much easier to convey one’s feelings when it is their own story. For example, if someone were to write an essay telling people about how they personally experienced their house being blown away by a tornado would have a lot more emotion and detail than a rhetorical essay that is trying to convince people to donate time an money to people who have suffered from natural disaster. That person could include things like how they lost their favorite possession or how difficult it was to find somewhere else to live and start all over. They would be telling it from a first-hand experience and could tell you exactly how they felt through that tragic experience. On the other hand, someone who might just be getting you to try to help out but did not necessarily undergo that experience would not be able to share such details. Their essay would have to be broader. They could include part of the story about someone who lost their house but most likely it will not appeal to the audience the same way. There would still be a use of pathos but they may not be as strong.
Also, a personal essay does not come out and make a point to persuade people. Although someone’s story about losing their house to a natural disaster might give someone the idea to help out others who have also lost a lot due to natural disaster, it was not necessarily the author’s purpose. Meanwhile, rhetorical essays have an argument and whether it is subtle or not, it is still there.
After reading Kelly's introduction on essays, my eyes have been opened to new ways of intrepreting literature and getting more out of it. He pointed out that there is a lot more to essays than just words on a page.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Introduction
My name is Amanda Miller and I'm going to be a sophomore in the fall. This summer I will be attending class from my house in the middle of nowhere in King George, Virginia. Along with GWRIT, I am also taking a Chemistry class at a local community college this summer. On top of that, I am keeping myself busy by working at CVS. I am a Chemistry major and I am also Pre-Pharmacy. After JMU I plan on going to Pharmacy school and then going into pharmacutical engineering or research and development.
Religion is the most important thing in my life. I'm not the person who talks about religion all the time or that will press my beliefs on someone else, but that does not make it any less important. I also love the CCM community at JMU. It is a very good environment for young person with struggles in their life. The priest is especially good with communicating to people our age and always willing to help out or just to be a friend.
Something else about me was that I was born in Pittsburgh, so outside of school and work I am obsessed with following Pittsburgh professional sports teams. As you can imagine, I was very happy this past Friday when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup against Detroit giving Pittsburgh their second championship this year along with the Steelers Superbowl win. One really exciting thing about this year's Stanley Cup final was that I was actually able to attend game three in Pittsburgh, and I have never been in an atmosphere more lively and enthralling than that.
When I'm not busy with school or watching sports I'm usually hanging out with my parents and brothers, who I couldn't live without. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and having a good time. That pretty much sums me up well and other than that there's not much else to know about me.
Religion is the most important thing in my life. I'm not the person who talks about religion all the time or that will press my beliefs on someone else, but that does not make it any less important. I also love the CCM community at JMU. It is a very good environment for young person with struggles in their life. The priest is especially good with communicating to people our age and always willing to help out or just to be a friend.
Something else about me was that I was born in Pittsburgh, so outside of school and work I am obsessed with following Pittsburgh professional sports teams. As you can imagine, I was very happy this past Friday when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup against Detroit giving Pittsburgh their second championship this year along with the Steelers Superbowl win. One really exciting thing about this year's Stanley Cup final was that I was actually able to attend game three in Pittsburgh, and I have never been in an atmosphere more lively and enthralling than that.
When I'm not busy with school or watching sports I'm usually hanging out with my parents and brothers, who I couldn't live without. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and having a good time. That pretty much sums me up well and other than that there's not much else to know about me.
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