Analyzing a Visual Text 

This image was taken during the Great Depression in Los Angeles in 1936 on a farm. This picture illustrates a mother with her two children leaning on her shoulders and one on lying on her lap. This picture is a perfect representation of what was going on during that time because you can clearly see through the emotions on the image how the mother and the children are suffering. It clearly shows that the mother is trying to find other alternatives and figure a way out of this misery and help her children stay alive.

1. This picture was taken on a farm outside of Los Angeles in 1936 during the Great Depression. I believe that the audience is the people that are affected by it and the government of the United States. The people who have been affected by the Great Depression and the citizens of the United States are the audience. The speaker is the person behind the picture is who portraying a message through this image. I think is focuses and deals more on the context, the event and specifically the people suffering from it.

2. The first thing I noticed in the picture was the woman’s face expression and her posture in the image. My eye is draw to the kids leaning on her shoulders and lap, depicting the misery they are in. My overall first impression without reading the story behind the picture was that the people in the image we not happy, they look disappointed and sad.

3. This visual raises the efforts of a mother towards her children at difficult times such as the Great Depression where she lost everything. I think that the visual makes a claim about the topic because it shows how the mother is strong. The mother is still trying to find hope and a way out of this problem for her kids to keep on living their lives.

4. I believe the text tells a narrative and or a story. This picture is very powerful and can be understood in plenty of ways.  I believe the point is the mother trying to find hope out of this horrible situation. The way she put her hand on her chin explains that she is thinking and is looking for a way out of this.

5. There are several emotions evoked in this image such as strength, sorrow, sadness, and hope. They purposely took a close up of their faces and not their background in order for the audience to focus on their emotions and understand the message more thoroughly.

6. Yes the characters are realistic. I think it gives it another message, because if the characters were caricatures then the message would be different and not as emotional. The image and the message are very obvious in this image.

7. The entire photograph consists of visual allusions that evoke emotions and memories in that specific event. This image consists of emotions that are very powerful and explain the message of the image.

8. Hope and love for their family. This shows how the mother is willing to fight and find a way through this with her 3 children. This is also a representation of determination because after something like this many would prefer giving up.

9. the claim it makes is that we should appreciate and value those who care and are determined to fight for their lives and take care of their children. They look miserable in the picture but you can still see ambition in the mother’s eyes.

Analyzing Arguements 

1. In her argument Domini concludes that her heart will always be with slow food and supports her conclusion with such evidence as statistics to show that slow food is not available in all communities while fast food is expanding industry and gives numerous examples of how fast food companies are improving ingredients and reducing waste. To link this conclusion with the evidence, she makes the assumption that her preference for slow food should not prevent others who support fast food and who are making money in this industry.

2. Although what Roger Ebert says about uniqueness of Star Wars may be true in some cases, his position fails to take the audience into account. A closer look at the movies flaw reveals that Ebert believes that the movie is great but it has several things he believes were not necessary.

3. While the position advanced by Kip Kinkel, may seem reasonable, it assumes that these kids have psychological problems and need medication and psychologist by their side. If that were so, then there might have not been so many young kids in jail for committing a murder. It might be more reasonable to consider medication and rehab for these kids since a young age.

4. One way to look at Sam Manzie would be to say that he is mentally ill; but if that were the case he would not be held in jail and would not serve his time for committing a crime. Of course another view might be to keep in rehab at a young age and prevent him from getting worse. Yet another way to consider Manzie might be a lack of love from his parents.

5. Position about the luxurious handbags that counterfeits are producing would be sound if we chose to ignore the fact that people are buying them and do not care if they are fake. When we consider channel or coach bags, then people will do anything for these brands. In addition, customers are aware that they purchase fake handbags.

6. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all agree about eating slow food instead of fast food? The trouble is, fast food industry is making its profit by advertising and selling their products. Domini says that she will always stick to slow food, but fast food companies should not be affected by her opinion and position. How can we come to a compromise that recognizes the community’s health?

Terror’s Purse Strings, By: Dana Thomas

Activity on pg. 109

Terror’s Purse Strings, By: Dana Thomas

The essay speaks about luxury items that are counterfeited and how many people purchase these fake purses or shoes and don’t think of the ones to work behind this. The children who are being abused are the ones to create the fake items in China in a factory.

First hand evidence

In this essay, Dana Thomas uses personal experience to explain her encounter when she accompanied Chinese police officers on a factory raid and how when they arrived inside and found a dozen children age’s eight to twelve working and sewing. She used this personal experience to appeal to the audience’s emotions. She did not use her own experience and perspective only, she included a small paragraph to prove her point but the essay contained multiple pieces of evidence to back her point up.

Another first hand evidence used is an anecdote. This essay includes anecdotes about other people that have been observed or stories that have been heard. Dana Thomas gives examples of other people she has observed or stories she has heard about this specific counterfeit of purses or objects. For example a direct quote from Miuccia Prada stating, “ There is a kind of an obsession with bags”  “Its so easy to make money”. This is here to prove that counterfeits agree with this because as soon as a purse is released, they buy it and reproduce and create a fake one.

Second hand evidence

Second hand evidence is one that is accessed through research, reading and investigation. In this essay Thomas used historical information in “ Sales of counterfeit T-shirts may have helped finance 1993 World Trade Center bombing, according to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition”. This is from research; this shows that she took some time to research before writing this essay, because it appeals to ethos.

Another second hand evidence used is e2xpert opinion. Throughout this essay Thomas quoted some experts sayings for example Miuccia Prada.

Finally, the writer used quantitative evidence. She uses a variety of statistics and numbers to support her essay. For example, “at least 11 percent of the world’s clothing is fake, according to 2000 figures from the Global Anti- Counterfeiting Groups in Paris.

Open, closed and counterargument Thesis Statement

1. Although same sex classrooms in public education is ideal for the child in aiding them to concentrate more on their studies, it does not prepare them for the real world where they would be exposed to both gender types working together.

I decided to make a counterargument thesis statement because I believe people may have different opinions and may not agree or may not disagree. I also believe that there are several pros and cons to it and I would prefer explaining both the pros and cons of same sex classrooms.

2. I don’t agree with what E.M Forster has to say about betraying a friend over his country because it shows that he is not a patriot and is very illiterate.

I chose an open thesis statement because people might have something different to state and I preferred keeping it as a open statement where I could write and develop multiple ideas.

3. Today we are facing one of the most crucial and detrimental issues in the world, global warming. Global warming is both affecting the world and people’s lives and I think that it is important that the government takes more time to enforce the regulations that should be followed.

I chose an open thesis statement because I believe that there are not three main points there is so much the government could do in order to succeed in this movement.

4. I agree that advertising degrades the people it appeals to and deprives them of their will to choose because it steals their self -assurance and self -esteem.

I chose an open thesis statement because I stated my main idea and from there I will elaborate and develop plenty of ideas from this main statement.

5. I believe the appropriate response of a teacher to a student who turns in a plagiarized paper or exam should be total disappointment because it is a sign of disrespect to the teacher.

I chose to do an open thesis statement because there are a variety of ideas and ways to put this. You can have multiple ways of responding to plagiarism. The disappointment would eventually lead to the consequences the student needs to pay.

Claim Activity

Page 86

1. SUV owners should be required to pay an energy surcharge

Arguable

2. Charter schools are an alternative to public schools

Too easily verifiable

Charter schools offer a better education than public schools.

3. Ronald Reagan was the most charismatic president of the twentieth century.

Arguable

4. Requiring students to wear uniforms improves school spirit

I think that this statement is arguable because there are people who might agree with this and there are others who might totally disagree. It is a viable claim that can create a valid argument.

5. The term global warming and climate change describe different perspectives on this complex issue.

Arguable

6. Students graduating from college today can expect to have more debt than any previous generations.

This is too easily verifiable. It could be true or it could be false but I think that It is simply a topic and not a claim.

Most of the students who graduate from college today can expect to fail due to debts in the future unlike the previous generations

7. People who read novels are more likely to attend sports events and movies than those who do not.

I think that this is arguable .

8. Print newspapers will not survive another decade.

I think that this statement is arguable.

9. The competition among countries to become a site for the Olympic games is fierce.

This is too easily verifiable because its just states the topic. I believe that it is very easy to verify if this statement is true or not.

It is more likely that the Olympic games will take place in a developed and big country than in a small country.

 10. Plagiarism is a serious problem in today’s schools.

Verifiable

Student’s who plagiarize are often the ones who don’t get enough attention from their parents at home.

Page 90D

"Baggage Claim" is so archaic in its depiction of feminine self-worth—and, frankly, so insulting—it's amazing that it's coming out in 2013, not 1963.

It's also the second movie opening this week in which attractive, vibrant people pushing 30 must find spouses within a totally arbitrary and impossibly tight time frame in order to please their demanding parents. While "Baggage Claim" takes place within a black family in Baltimore, "Wedding Palace" is set in the Korea town section of Los Angeles.

It's a small world after all, sadly.

Paula Patton, however, is a serious globetrotter as a perky and perfectly coifed flight attendant named Montana Moore. Not only does she have the obligatory sassy best friend (Jill Scott) who's armed with innuendoes and in-your-face cleavage, Montana also has the no-nonsense, no-filter gay pal (Adam Brody) who will always set her straight. Both fly the friendly skies alongside her. Their mile-high chatter is mostly mind-numbing, but Brody gets a few funny lines…….. http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/baggage-claim-2013

 This review is from a movie called “Baggage Claim” that came out in 2013. In Christy Lemire’s review you can see that she rarely says any positive comments and reflections about the movie. She basically says that this movie is like any other movie, very archaic and insulting. She focuses a lot on the overall point of the movie; she thinks that it is all ridiculous and unrealistic. She says that there are several funny parts and lines to the movie for example she states that the best part of the movie “if such thing is possible” is the love between the main actress and her neighbor.

Christy Lemire used claim of value to criticize this movie. To her she believes that there are plenty of other movies similar and that it was not necessary. She states her points and gives her opinion about why she does not think this movie is a great movie She admits that there are one or two good laughing parts but other than that it was predictable. Lemire argues that this movie is not good, and of course this could be arguable because others might think differently.