Journal #6 - Rhetorical Analysis

Old Spice | Questions

I had typed this entire journal entry and then accidentally deleted it somehow, so here it goes again:

The ad "Questions" for Old Spice body wash is a brilliant commercial. It uses the 3 Aristolean methods of appeal, ethos, pathos, and logos, to sell its product. Ethos is the author's developing of trust with the viewer or reader. The commercial gains the viewer's trust by initially being directed at the "ladies." This not only captures the female viewer's attention, but it grabs the male viewer's attention, too, because after all, a man is interested in what their women are being told by another man. Even more trust is earned by the viewer because the actor is a handsome man with a toned body in nothing but a towel. Ethically good looks shouldn't be a more trustworthy source than someone who isn't too shabby, but people are more willing to listen to the actor in the Old Spice ad because he is sexy and trying to help men be sexy for their women, too. He puts himself on a higher level than the viewer, by saying, "Does your man look like me? No. Can he smell like me? Yes." This helps the viewer see the actor as a credible source because he is on a higher level, but willing to help the viewer get to nearly the same level.

Journal #4 - CESL

Enlightening would definitely be the word to describe meeting a couple of students from CESL. It is amazing to take yourself out of your own world and emerge yourself in someone else's.

First, I met Liu Yu from China. Right off the bat, he explained to me that the first of his two names is actually his family's name, and the latter is his name. Backwards from what we are accustomed to here in America. We talked a bit about school, a bit about Tucson, and a bit about China. My favorite thing that he told me was the differences in people in China. He said there were two kinds of guys in China--the veggie bowl man, or the meat bowl man. Yu explained to me that the veggie bowl man stays inside most of the time and plays video games. The meat bowl man likes to go out and spend time with friends. It was pretty funny, but a great analogy nonetheless. He was a meat bowl guy, I could tell. When we got to the question about which drink he would be, he said Vodka. His reasons for the choice were far more mature than I was stupidly assuming they would be. His father is Russian (his mother is Chinese), and in China, they drink to keep warm.

The second person I met was from South Korea. He told me to call him MJ--"not Michael Jordan" he says. I didn't have much time to talk to MJ, but it turned out he was doing computer science. We eventually exchanged emails in case I needed any help with computer language since I am doing electrical engineering. After hearing I played guitar and liked rock/metal music, he also wanted my email for good suggestions for American rock bands.

I can someone agree with "Letter to Mexico" that Americans reap the benefits of poorer countries. In the story, Mexicans hated Eula Biss for being an American. I'm glad to say that I don't believe there were any sort of stereotypical assumptions/hatred between Yu and me or MJ and me. Each of the two students were very friendly. They were extremely understanding of the fact that we were from two separate cultures. We were very much like Biss and Rosa, the other receptionist at the chemical plant in San Diego. Coincidentally, I feel like I may end up doing a similar sort of trade with MJ. He will help me with computer language while I help him with guitar and music.

Like I said in the first sentence. I feel very enlightened by the experience I had at CESL.

Journal Entry #2 - Persona Paper

The text that I have chosen to write about is a few narratives I wrote in my 11th grade English class. The assignment was to write a few installments to a fictional narrative about a trip to a destination. I wrote about being on a cramped, smelly bus on the way to a Elvis Presley's Graceland. It was a cool paper because I was able to write in any style I wanted and have any voice I wanted, so I portrayed a very negative persona for the fun of it.

Here is a segment from the first narrative:

"I can’t believe I’m being dragged through this. It’s ridiculous. I keep hearing her high-pitched voice in my head: “Trust me, you’ll love it. Elvis is the king of rock ‘n roll. Don’cha wanna see a bit of history?” No. But of course that caring boyfriend attitude in me made me say Yes. Gotta love that caring boyfriend attitude. Now I’m stuck for hours on a damn bus until I reach the place of my dreams…Memphis, Tennessee. Amanda wants to go to Graceland for obvious reasons; she is in love with Elvis Presley."

I would have to say this relates most to Lindsay Lohan's television ad. In the narrative, I use a very sarcastic tone of voice, often saying one thing and meaning the opposite, much like Lohan does in her video. However, she is awfully cheery in the clip, while the narrator of my story is very pessimistic.

Journal #1 - Evolution (Follow Up)

After listening to some music for a while and coming back to my previous post to read it again. Much like Hampl, I realized I did in fact fictionalize a few aspects of it to make it continuous. For example, I didn't always want to take on the job as president. I just felt like it was something I should try and do. My sister was in the group years before me. She was the class secretary. I felt I should try and be president because she was something substantial when she was in it. Also, I seemed to make the position of president as a king's chair. People didn't ever "look up," to me--they respected me, yes, but I wasn't some kind of big kahuna. It is interesting how the "truth" can come out in words as false information.

I did find it difficult to pick an experience to write about. I probably cycled back and forth through about 5 or 6 different memories that I could have written about. I finally decided to go with the President story because I could just run with it. Looking back, it seems like I ran too far with it, subconsciously altering parts of the truth to make the story flow better.

As far as language goes, I used a typical narrative type of voice. I simply just wrote down what happened, no flair whatsoever. But that is how a first draft goes for me. I took on the Hampl style of writing a first draft that was not too careful. If I were to go back and edit I would rework the entire piece.

Journal #1 - Evolution

(Me playing in Jovert at Disneyland, May 2010)

The moment that really defined me as the student I am, was when I took on the job of being president of Jovert, the steel drum band at Tucson High School. I always knew I wanted to try and take on this job, but I had no idea it would change the way I looked at myself. Before being president, I had never had any sort of leadership position in clubs, etc. Opportunities rose from all around me to be pro-active, and I took every one that I could. I was able to design the T-Shirts, I coordinated some of the gigs we played, and most importantly, I became comfortable to interact with all the students around me. I don't mean to sound arrogant or narcissistic, but it is a nice feeling to be looked up to. I was able to give instruction, and no one would challenge my "authority," so to say. I felt a kind of respect that I had never received before. Before I was president, I was just a part of the band, playing steel drums with other students to form a group. When I was president, I still served a part of the band; however, I was able to have a voice, a voice that has always been mine, but never got the chance to be let out.