Rhetorical analysis - draft 2

The Distortion of Beauty

The intended audience for this video are the people, specifically women, that fall under the influence of Society's insane standard of beauty and even young girls who have not yet been effected by it. It also serves to target the parents of young girls to warm them against society's influence on their children's self worth and perception of beauty.  The purpose of this video is to make the audience aware of the outrageous standard of beauty that society and the media hold women in this era accountable to and the realistic consequences that stem from the pressure to conform to what society views as beautiful. A waif figure , perfect jaw line, big eyes, smaller facial features and long hair are what have been deemed 'beautiful' by the medias standards. Things like photo shopping advertisements and billboards, retouching pictures of models in EVERY magazine, and starved movie stars that people idolize have painted an unrealistic definition of what is considered to be 'beautiful' for the women of modern america. The video focuses on the harsh reality of what people, young and old, will go through to conform to society's standards of 'Beauty'. Anorexia, Bulimia, yo-yo dieting, plastic surgery and even suicide are highlighted as some of the consequences this pressure will cause people, specifically women, to do. This persuasive video defiantly captures the audiences attention and draws them in by touching on the topic every woman in America has dealt with - living up to distorted standard of 'beauty' Society and the media has painted out for us. Thoughts of struggling to fit in, obsessing over weight, having a perfect complexion, eye color and smile are the reality of what women have been burdened with since the turn of the twenty first century. This video is put together in a way that targets a woman's vulnerability and heightens the pathos of the audience.  Every woman knows the feeling of having to live up to the unrealistic expectation of beauty that photo-shopped and starved super models have set for us and along with pathos, this video has just the right amount of kairos which together tie the audience in and keeps their attention. 

Informative Essay- First draft

Beck Echevarria Adderall. The Double Edged Sword  From the very first time we stepped into a classroom at age 6, our parents have repeated one thing about school over and over again; it comes first. The number one priority that comes before the Spring musical, after-school sports, debate team meetings and even volunteer work on the weekends is, school. I vividly recall the first day I walked into Mrs. Lockheart's kindergarten class, a lot of color on the walls, funny posters and a big Green board. I immediately felt sick to my stomach and ran out of the room into my mothers arms. After some words of encouragement She said to me"...So you better go back in there! Make a lot of friends and give class your best effort today, this will be your job for the next 16 years of your life - you don't want to start off on the wrong foot! “My mother’s way of stressing the importance of my future education was a little harsh, but in all retrospect, she was right. I am now 20 years old, and for the past 14 years of my life, school has been the one constant that has never been taken down from my pedestal of top priorities. For 12 years my parents had me doing the same routine: wake up, go to school, do my after school activities, get home in time for dinner and then homework until bedtime. I remember counting down the day I would to leave to college, the day I would finally be free of my parent’s watchful eye. Leaving home meant I got to break my boring, repetitive routine - get a job, have an apartment, do whatever I wanted. If I only knew then what I know now...  Speaking from the perspective of a working 20 year old student, college is hard. The stress of managing 5 classes, turning in all of my assignments on time, and  maintaining a full time job is hard enough. But throw in a healthy sleeping schedule, a social life and finals week on top of that and I just turned into a very stressful individual. If only there were a magic happy pill that could make you work as efficiently as possible while being in a positive and focused mood throughout the day...keep dreaming right? Wrong. Adderall is a stimulant that targets your central nervous system. It affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

Researching the best type of Research

Id first like to start off by saying that I've always been a big fan of research. I have always enjoyed digging deeper into an interesting topic and learning as much as possible about said topic. Their is something i love about the feeling of being totally in the know about whatever topic I'm talking or writing about. And not just knowing the everyday facts that everyone else knows too, but the real meat and potato's of the topic, whats controversial about it? what has yet to be written about? perhaps another point of view... etc. Luckily my topic (the abuse of adderall by college students) has proven to have a broad spectrum of  research possibilities, internet, newspapers magazines, books, studies etc. Using the FIU research resources, common logic, and visual images my essay will not only informative but will leave you thinking....

Sociology of Suds

1)      What is the significance of Mr Lee’s Laundromat to the community of Overtown?

He owns one of the last remaining Laundromats in the community. He is old, trusted and it’s a place that has seen Overtown at its best and its worst. He knows all the people in the area and has fallen into the same routine for 15yrs while his surroundings have been booming with change. Lees Laundromat is a shrine to black pride history.

2)      How is research used to explain that significance?

- Interviews with people

- Change around the area was proven by facts of the change and examples such as the sign they    put outside on the lamp post that says “Miami has a new face”.

- A lot of observation.

3)      What source of primary research is used?

- Interviews with the locals and uses examples of Mr Lee and his relationships with people.

- Also the author noted the visible change around the Laundromat and how everything has evolved except for him, also the pictures gave a great visual.

4)      How is Secondary research used?

Not much is public domain and common knowledge. The article is closer to a journal than anything else.

5)      How is research credible?

- The research is credible because of the use of pictures which relate to the subject matter.

- The author also spoke with credible people that were common in the Laundromat, people of the community.

- The article was in the New Times Magazine

- The article is about an area in Miami which is more relatable.

6)      What would you steal? Why? How did this essay inform you how to write your own essay?

The fact that this article was more like a journal entry than an informative essay really let me see how I can be a little more open with my writing and they had great use of pictures which I could really work with to enhance my essay.

Are we losing our edge

1)      What is the authors’ main point about education in the United States?

I feel the authors’ main point about education in the United States is how America is starting to lose ground to other countries like China, South Korea and India. If things do not change these countries will overtake America therefore it can take a pause.

2)      How is research used to explain that main point?

The author gives examples of different people who have studied in the US but eventually move to other countries, one example is Edison Liu, he studied in the US and then moved because he was given a better offer he couldn’t refuse in another country.

3)      What sort of primary research is used?

Primary research is used in the article in the form of interviews, observations or surveys. I notice how the author gives some examples of surveys and interviews certain people who have studied in the US but left to work in other countries.

4)      What sort of secondary research is used?

The secondary research used in the article was mainly reports which the author mentions from different credible authors.

5)      Explain how the research is credible.

The research is credible mainly because it is in the Times Magazine and it also makes use of information from credible people.

6)      What would you steal? Why?

What I would steal from the article is the use of both the primary and secondary research together with the aid of photography. This was a more structured article like a report informing the audience about an issue.

Using pictures in an Informative Essay

Using pictures in an informative essay can be used to help the audience understand the information that is being given. Informative essays can easily be turned into something long, boring and drawn out - pictures help to spice things up a little bit. Also they help the person visualize what is being written about. For example, the topic that I have chosen for my informative essay is about the misuse of adderall by college students. Being a college student myself I have had an inside look on the misuse of this drug among my peers however my audience might need some help visualizing the issue if they have not witnessed this abuse themselves. To give my audience an idea of the severity of the issue i compiled a series of photos that tell the story of a student feeling overwhelmed while studying, then learning about prescription drugs, then buying adderall, them taking it and the final pictures are of the student graduating and one last picture noting that the student couldn't of done it without adderall. These pictures are the perfect thing to illustrate the abuse of this drug among college students and the severity of the situation.

Photo Essay

Final Draft - Literacy Narrative

       My Palms Suddenly became sweaty. My face got so hot, I knew they could see the red in my cheeks. I knew the moment was approaching; will I have enough courage to ask? Am I ready to face the rejection if things don't go the way I planned? I was told this would be a possibility and from the very beginning I almost expected my attempt to fail. But now, in real time, the anticipation is overwhelming. I looked into my customers eyes, trying to decode their thoughts. The presentation was over, now it was time to ask for the sale - did they like my product? Did I sell them on it? ...The side of my Uncles mouth twitched up. He smiled. I knew this was it, the moment of truth. I opened my mouth to speak and in their eyes I knew they saw the question coming - "So do you want to go ahead and try that out today?" Nodding my head and sitting in silence waiting for their response, I thought back to my last day of training. My manager said "The first one to speak loses." She said it would be awkward sitting in silence awaiting an answer, but this was almost unbearable! Thirty seconds passed and it felt like time was moving through molasses! The ticking of the clock was distracting, almost mocking me as the seconds of silence turned into minutes - I almost lost my eye contact - I cleared my throat - They looked up, "Yea let’s do it" - and instantly an almost childish smile was glued onto my face.

  The first day of my first job ever was one of the most stressful and fulfilling days of my life. As a college sophomore at the age of eighteen I took on the job as a sales representative for Vector Marketing, A multimillion dollar Marketing Corporation that worked primarily with college students. They offered scholarships, internships, college credit etc. But the most interesting part...

They sell knives. The absolute best Knives in the WORLD - but knives, nevertheless.

I soon came to see that selling the knives was actually the easy part, to be honest; Cutco practically sold itself - pretty much a show and tell. The REAL job was connecting with my customers. At the end of the day my job was to work with my people face to face; not only learning how to properly communicate with another human being twice my age, but also being able to make them fall in love with me and buy the product in under an hour. Needless to say as an 18 year sophomore in college – I needed some work in this department.  I needed to get good at building rapport with my customers, connecting with them on another level and earning their trust and admiration. I needed to look with beyond the sale and really create a lasting friendship with these people. After all, our product was not cheap - Cutco is the top of the line - people will buy it because they see a need for it and they feel tied in to the representative’s goals. Whether it be a sales competition, scholarship for school, giving to charity, hitting a certain level of promotion or just winning a shiny trophy - the job was making sure MY goals turned into THEIR goals. Making them understand how important my goals were to me and communicating to them how this sale could get me one step closer, is what my customers bought into.

  So there I was, on a journey to further understand the human psyche.

 I never thought that a summer job selling knives and a quest to further understand people would quickly turn into the experience that would change my life and passions forever. After being promoted into management and learning how to teach others what my managers once taught me, I realized that in order to excel at my job I needed to constantly be growing myself and other around me. No longer working primarily with my customers, I shifted my attention to developing the lives of the reps who worked under me – working with my Team became my primary focus. The main thing selling Cutco offered was the ability to instill a passion for personal growth within anybody that would give the opportunity a chance. I quickly became immersed with the resources the company offered, and kept feeding into my obsession of being 'The Best Person I Could Possibly Be.' Books, Audios, Conferences, Seminars...it was all available to me and I took full advantage. However, the turning point in my career was when a mentor recommended I read a book she so cleverly presented as 'A Classic self-help book that will change the way you communicate with people forever.'

So of course, I was sold.

The book entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie took my Communication skills to a WHOLE other level. This book made it all click. I FINALLY understood how to TALK to people - truly connect with my people. After reading this book a few times and implementing what it taught me, I saw change. Not only in the way I communicate with my customers, co-workers and reps, but how I communicated with my family and friends as well. 

Skills for Life.

The book is broken up into four parts including: ‘Fundamental Techniques in Handling People’; ‘Six Ways to Make People Like You’; ‘Win People to Your Way of Thinking’; and ‘Be a Leader: how to change people without giving offense or arousing resentment’.

I'm sure from simply reading the titles of this book you can see how I would find it appealing.

As mentioned above, this book made it all click for me – it all finally made sense. Connecting with people all came down to one very simple idea – putting myself into the other person’s shoes and looking at it through the other person’s perspective. The book made me realize than in order to be truly connected to people I needed to shift my mindset into having EVERY interaction through the other persons point of view – what did THEY want to talk about, listen to, feel like etc. Becoming genuinely interested in other people; Giving honest and sincere appreciation; being a good listener; remembering the other person’s name and keeping in mind that it was the sweetest sound in any language; talking in terms of the other persons interest and making the other person feel important – and doing it sincerely. These are all common sense ways to approach an interaction, yet, I hardly ever did them.  By simply changing the way I approach and go about a conversation I saw dramatic changes in the way I was perceived by others. My business and relationships took off and my passion in working with people was as clear as day. I abandoned my pursuit of working with animals and my dream of going into wildlife conservation. THIS is what REAL passion felt like. Working with people and impacting their lives, inspiring a person to be the best person they can be and pushing a person to accomplish something they never though they could was what I strived to do. Whatever profession I decide to go into, being a Maximum Potential Finder and Grower of people is what I want to become.

And so I leave you with this final though: 

What life changing conversation are you going to have, Text are you going to read, or job are you going to take, that will make you realizing the importance of communicating with other people properly? How will you go about your relationships with co-workers, classmates and loved ones from now on?  Realizing that every conversation and interaction you have is either positively or negatively impacting the other person will revolutionize the way you live your life and make you aware of the impression you are leaving to the people IN your life. Selling Cutco was the catalyst for my journey towards personal growth and awareness. Each person will have their own moment of realization – When will you have yours?