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One key them reflected in Eboo Patel’s My Neighbor’s Faith: The Heroes I Was Looking For, is the idea of charity and the importance of helping others, especially people who are marginalized. Eboo Patel recalls his experience in college where he witnessed the troubles of the disenfranchised in the form of drug abuse, homelessness, and poverty. He writes that “I knew that America saw these shadows but chose not to call them”( Patel). This sparked a flame inside Patel which urged him to participate in his first forms of charity by protesting, and trying to raise awareness of these issues. With time, Patel realizes that charity can come in many forms. For example, when he visits his grandmother in India, he realizes that just like Dorothy Day in America, his grandmother was “sheltering abused women for 40 years by hiding them in her home”( Patel). Although it took Patel many years to find his voice and see that his own culture and religion are producers of charitable acts, he finally is able to see “The heroes I was looking for were within my religion, in my very family”( Patel).

To capture his journey in this short memoir, Patel employs the use of short anecdotes. This allows for the reader to feel a stronger sense of connection to the writer and the story that he is telling. Patel shares painfully honest anecdotes that share his struggles trying to find his place in the world, and solidify his own views on charity, and religion. For example, after researching and reading about different religions, Patel states “But my attraction to these traditions was intellectual. Similar to my experience with Christianity, I felt that my soul did not fit in any of them”(Patel). Its within these moments of honest story telling that Patel connects the most with the audience, and the reader is able to empathize and learn from Patel’s journey.

I believe that Rivera captures the suffering and strength of his people, the Bracero workers, though the story telling of his narrator. This is especially encapsulated in the chapter “And the earth did not devour him”, where the narrator continues to work in the fields, after his Aunt and Uncle had died from tuberculosis and his brother from the hard labor, and the emotional suffering he faces when trying to internalize this suffering. Rivera powers through his suffering, and continues to work and take care of his cousins, regardless of the horrendous circumstances he is facing and refuses to give up, stating “Not yet, you cant swallow me up yet”( P. 112). By sharing his story of struggle and strength through personal narrative, people are likely to understand his hardships and feel empathy for his peoples struggles, and is acting as a representation of his peoples sufferings.

Rivera employed the rhetorical strategy of quotations, that shared conversations between him and his family members during this hardship, and the anger he felt during this time. For example he states “How come were like this, like were buried alive? Either the germs eat us alive or the sun burns us up” ( P. 109). By inserting direct dialogue that the young boy is saying, it acts as a truthful statements for the reader, and allows the reader to enter the mind of this character, and someone of the time period to empathize with them. It also helps to make this time period feel more real when its represented with people who share their thoughts.

Discussion Moderator Analysis

By: Rachel McGrain and Stephanie Martinez

Howl by Allen Ginsberg

 

Some of the first annotations shared by our peers revealed a trend in Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl, through the excessive drug use and abuse references he makes. Throughout his entire poem Ginsberg commonly explores the mindset of a drug user, and the effects the drugs are having on societies outcasts or drug abusers. Bnawoichik poignantly states their point of view on why people might be using drugs, and what they are doing to the user by commenting “I think that he is illustrating the influence of drugs on the brain here. He is explaining users who have come down from their highs – their brains now “drained of brilliance”. This relates back to the first few lines in this poem, where he is talking about great minds being destroyed by madness and “looking for an angry fix” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO1txVXH9ZO4OKSlaIe. Additionally, Ginsberg repeatedly mentions these drug abusers as common characters in this poem who are characterized by poverty, mental illness, and desperation. Ebortz summarized one of Ginsberg’s characters well when they state,

“The person here, I believe is so drugged out that he walks around even after destroying his feet and all that still matters is to find some more drugs” https://hypothes.is/a/AVPAT2SjH9ZO4OKSlcJo

Another common theme which was frequently commented on in the class annotations was a rhetorical strategy of Ginsberg, who uses many characters to highlight those in society who are considered “different” or downtrodden. Alongside the drug users, many other suffering characters are mentioned. Vsalinas states “I think that Allen Ginsberg is talking about the people who not fit in the “normal” society, the people who society believes are different” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO6w4TaH9ZO4OKSlaz1. These characters are often victims of seemingly mental illness and drug abuse, and Vsalinas hypothesis on this connection is “that by doing drugs and alcohol they are trying to forget the feeling they get for not being accepted by the society or being consider different” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO6zAnhH9ZO4OKSla0X.

Lastly, a common theme found among student annotations was on Ginsberg’s recurring discussion of a negative energy or spirituality. He brings up the word “Moloch” a number of times throughout his piece which by definition refers to a deity whose worship is displayed by an appalling sacrifice. Ginsberg may be using such a term as the sacrifice he feels is made by individuals on a daily basis in terms of capitalism, industry, and culture.

In a much bigger picture, as bnawoichik states, they feel that “Moloch is a representation of societal pressure and all negativity in the world.” https://hypothes.is/a/AVO4318qH9ZO4OKSlaZK Meaning Allen Ginsberg’s Howl delves into a much darker form of spiritualtiy that we’ve seen this semester. He to an extent refers to society as sacrificing their best selves for materialistic item and societal standards. In closing, Ginsberg refers to this dark form of spirituality known as “Moloch” as a way to bring to surface how meaningless certain materialistic things are and how they are fitishized in modern day society, hoping to bring perspective to individuals on the things that really matter and the things that don’t.

In “ A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor morality is often a theme that is repeatedly explored through out her body of work, in particular the lack of morality her characters have. For example, O’Connor writes about the Grandmother sharing a story about an old house she used to live in and stated “There was a secret panel in this house,” she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing that she were”(Page 16). Without feeling remorse for being dishonest the Grandmother is telling a lie to manipulate her son into changing the direction of the road trip.

Another example of morality being examined by O’Connor is through the character “The Misfit” who is on a murder spree. O’Connor repeatedly places “The Misfit” in situations of a moral divide, where he inevitably chooses to do the wrong thing, or an evil act. For example, after the family gets into a car accident, and uses this as an opportunity to kill the family and take their car after he shot the grandmother and “ put his gun down on the ground and took off his glasses and began to clean them”. O’Connor purposefully placed these characters in cross road situations, and had them make poor decisions to make a point of the commonality of the every day person making poor moral decisions often.

During the exploration of characters morality, O’Connor frequently uses direct characterization to describe all of her characters as normal, everyday people. For example, in the introduction, O’ Connor states, “The children’s mother, a young woman in slacks, whose face was as broad and innocent as a cabbage and was tied around with a green head-kerchief that had two points on the top like rabbit’s ears. She was sitting on the sofa, feeding the baby his apricots out of a jar.”(Page 6). Commonly depicted throughout the story, her characters are described as ordinary people partaking in ordinary things, such as feeing their baby, or going on road trips. By depicting her characters as average people, this will allow to reader to connect instantly and deeply to these character who are relatable to themselves.

 

The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, initially published in 1791, is a renowned and cherished autobiographical narration that inspired many readers during the 18^th Century and remains the “ most frequently translated literary work of nonfiction that has come from the United States”(Larson). Employing a variety of anecdotes, proverbs, and rhetorical strategies, Franklin shares his insights on life itself, and how best to live it. One of the most notable sentiments in The Autobiography chapter 8 is Franklin’s belief in living an industrious and frugal life, which he accomplishes through his first person narration story telling.

Franklin first shares how a personal sense of industry leads one to success when describing his early years living in Philadelphia in a reminiscent style stating that there was scarcely enough access to literature or respectable bookshops. Through industrious endeavors such as fundraising and collaborating with his committee of friends, the Junto, he successfully created the first subscription-based library, which proved to be wildly successful and is still in existence today. “The institution soon manifested its utility, [and] was imitated by other towns, and in other provinces” (Franklin chapter 8). This was an incredible accomplishment for Franklin because reading was profoundly important to him, as he saw it as a means of productive leisure, which supported his theory of industry. He shares this belief through his anecdotal recalling of the time, and that reading was the only entertainment he would allow himself. He furthers this idea by stating, “I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolicks of any kind; and my industry in my business continu’d as indefatigable as it was necessary” (Franklin Chapter 8).  By spending his leisure time partaking in productive activities, franklin believed this was a overpowering quality influencing ones ability to be successful. Franklin is successful in asserting this point, because he was able to accomplish the feat of founding a library by living an industrious life, which is particularly helpful in establishing credibility to help convince the reader.

Through the medium of his personal narrative writing style, Franklin states that with the newfound access to a more comprehensive collection of literature he had many more opportunities to learn on his own, which helped him compensate for the lack of formal education he received as a child. Through this rhetorical strategy, Franklin shares the Proverb his father taught him which encouraged him to always be industrious and “from thence considered industry as a means of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encourag’d me, tho’ I did not think that I should ever literally stand before kings, which, however, has since happened; for I have stood before five, and even had the honor of sitting down with one, the King of Denmark, to dinner.”( Franklin Chapter 8). Through wise time management and being industrious with his leisure and hobbies, Franklin was able to accomplish incredible feats, even meeting the King of Denmark.

Through descriptive story telling, Franklin asserts his claim that living a frugal life leads to a prosperous financial standing and future. Franklin describes the humble life he pursues with his wife, and imagery associated with the minimalistic way of life he lives, which he attributes to his financial success. In his home he asserts that “We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest” as well as eating a simple, and inexpensive breakfast consisting of “a long time break and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a two penny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon”( Franklin Chapter 8). Additionally described was his wife’s own sense of industry by helping Franklin with his business in the form of “folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for the paper-makers, etc.” ( Franklin chapter 8). Through the rhetorical strategy of story telling, the reader is able to see that by living a life of simple means, one is able to prosper and be successful. Stated multiple times throughout his personal recalling of this part of his life, he preferred to live with the basic necessities, and the only luxury he owned, a China dish set, were purchased against his wishes by his wife.

Lastly, through a first person narrative, Franklin describes his views on religion, and growing up Presbyterian, which he later chooses to not actively support or attend. Franklin shares his personal beliefs on the sermons he had once attended only to find them “dry, uninteresting, and unedifying, since not a single moral principle was inculcated or enforc’d, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.”(Franklin chapter 8). Franklin seeks to share his personal accounts of these sermons through a narration that highlights his own religious aims. Due to Franklin’s own sense of industry and lack of support for the church, he created his own religious material to study named The Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. This self-made doctrine was “creed and litany that summarize Franklin’s new religious insight “ (Walters, Page 13.) By sharing his personal beliefs through the chronicle of his life in regards to religion, Franklin appeals to the reader’s logic and emotion more so than ever because of the intimacy that comes with a first person narration.

Franklin consistently conveys his thoughts and ideas through his narrative writing strategy to share with the reader his inspiring insights and personal creeds: industry and frugality. This can be seen in his accomplishments such as establishing the first Public library, his frugal way of life, and his creation of the Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. This rhetorical strategy is helpful in convincing the reader of the practicality and success that these ideas bring because of how reputable and successful the author is himself in an entertaining way that appeals to all audiences. Franklins Autobiography will forever be a cornerstone of American history, and will always be remembered as a well-crafted piece of literature, and a glimpse into history through the lens of an American icon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

Franklin, Benjamin. “Chapter 8.” Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Henry Holt, 1916. 126-46. Print.

Larson, David. “Heath Anthology of American Literature Benjamin Franklin – Author Page.” Heath Anthology of American Literature Benjamin Franklin – Author Page. Cengage Learning, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

Walters, Kerry. “Franklin and His Gods.” 300th Anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s Birth. Christ Church, Philadelphia. 07 Mar. 2016. Franklin and His Gods. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

The School Days of an Indian Girl

Zitkala-Sa

            In her collection of writings, The School Days of an Indian Girl, Zitkala-Sa shares her experiences of attending a Quaker missionary school when she was younger. She accomplished this through a non-fiction narrative writing style that enables the reader to see the emotional consequences of her forced assimilation through personal first hand stories during her time spent at the school. Zitkala-Sa faced many tumultuous experiences that she writes about in a story like structure, for example in “The School Days of an Indian Girl” page 187, when she states, “I remember being dragged out, though I resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. In spite of myself, I was carried downstairs and tied fast in a chair.” She was inevitably forced to have her braids cut off which caused her to loose her spirit.

Additionally, another challenge Zitkala-Sa faces is confusion of the routines and the general context of the school from her lack of understanding of English or Anglo culture. This is felt by both her peers and herself, which causes one of her friends, Thowin, to be violently reprimanded which “frequently took place, bringing unjustifiable frights and punishments into our little lives” (page 188). The author continually writes about the hardships she faces, and the uncomfortable feelings she endures while attending this missionary school through her personal accounts of events, which allows the reader to closely attend to the emotions she faces, and to feel empathy for her in moments of pain, or misunderstandings she faces while acculturating into the Anglo culture.

 

Thoreau uses logos, or appeal to logic, as a rhetorical strategy to convince the reader of his argument that the government is severely flawed and our need to separate from it, throughout his body of work. By stating his opinions as facts, and using examples for his reasoning, the reader is able to logically see Thoreau’s argument unfold and would be inclined to take his side. For example, in paragraph 1 Thoreau states “The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.” He is stating that one of the flaws of the government is how easily it can be used for bad, or manipulate the people, for example the Mexican war, where people were not aware of the extent of the select few in the government who fueled this war.

Additionally, Thoreau uses examples to support his claims, and appeal to the audience’s logic in paragraph 10 where he is breaking down the power of true influence, and that it lies within the everyday people itself. He states “Practically speaking, the opponents to a reform in Massachusetts are not a hundred thousand politicians at the South, but a hundred thousand merchants and farmers here, who are more interested in commerce and agriculture than they are in humanity”. He is giving factual based information to continually convince the reader of his claims.

Stowe carefully has chosen her characters as a rhetorical strategy to persuade the reader that slavery is wrong. For example, Mrs. Shelby, the wife of a slave owner, shares her strong feelings for the harms that slavery causes, and how slavery in its nature is wrong after she realizes Tom must be sold to settle Mr. Shelby’s debt. She states, “”This is God’s curse on slavery!—a bitter, bitter, most accursed thing!—a curse to the master and a curse to the slave! I was a fool to think I could make anything good out of such a deadly evil. It is a sin to hold a slave under laws like ours,—I always felt it was,—I always thought so when I was a girl,—I thought so still more after I joined the church; but I thought I could gild it over,—I thought, by kindness, and care, and instruction, I could make the condition of mine better than freedom—fool that I was!””(Stowe, chapter 5). Stowe uses Mrs. Shelby as a direct voice against slavery through her narration of her thoughts. She is in fact a slave owning Christian woman herself, however Stowe has characterized her as a kind and caring woman who has a strong moral compass. She uses her as a voice for anti-slavery within the constraints of the time period, and within multiple scenes, speaks out against her husband during conversations. I believe that Stowe, wanting to appeal to the female audience when writing this novel, purposefully has these moments where Mrs. Shelby is speaking her mind regardless of what her husband thinks, to show the reader that they too are capable of speaking their mind and having anti-slavery wishes regardless of what their husband thinks.

Additionally, Stowe uses pathos as a rhetorical strategy. This can be seen many times throughout her novel. For example, when Tom has to say goodbye to his family and leave, shackled, with Haley. Stowe writes, “Tom got in, and Haley, drawing out from under the wagon seat a heavy pair of shackles, made them fast around each ankle. A smothered groan of indignation ran through the whole circle, and Mrs. Shelby spoke from the verandah,—”Mr. Haley, I assure you that precaution is entirely unnecessary.” “Don’ know, ma’am; I’ve lost one five hundred dollars from this yer place, and I can’t afford to run no more risks.” “What else could she spect on him?” said Aunt Chloe, indignantly, while the two boys, who now seemed to comprehend at once their father’s destiny, clung to her gown, sobbing and groaning vehemently.”( Stowe Chapter 10). Stowe created a horrific scene, and is strategically using an appeal to emotion in this scene that leaves the reader horrified that this beloved character is being separated from his family. By writing about the emotional and turbulent times that a slave has to endure, Stowe is sharing with the reader a perspective that they have not considered, and this is a powerful strategy in trying to convince the reader that slavery is wrong. By sharing a story of separation, especially of characters that are well liked and understood, the reader will gain a stronger perspective of the pains slavery causes, thus making them more likely to be against it.

One quality Franklin finds impertinent to have that would make a person an ideal American is humility. In Franklin’s own life, he exemplifies humility through perseverance in establishing the public library in lieu of struggle and initial lack of popularity. Franklin states in his Autobiography “The present little sacrifice of your vanity will afterwards be amply repaid” in which he was referring to the difficulties he was having with gaining public subscriptions. Franklin states that “The objections and reluctances I met with in soliciting the subscriptions, made me soon feel the impropriety of presenting one’s self as the proposer of any useful project, that might be suppos’d to raise one’s reputation in the smallest degree above that of one’s neighbours, when one has need of their assistance to accomplish that project. I therefore put myself as much as I could out of sight, and stated it as a scheme of a number of friends, who had requested me to go about and propose it to such as they thought lovers of reading” ( Autobiography, Chapter 8). To accomplish his task, Franklin disregards the lack of popularity and strategically allows others to take credit for making the public libraries a success and popular among society, thus reaping the rewards from sacrificing his own vanity, and allowing the popularity of his own idea be dismissed from his name.

Franklin employs the strategy of sharing his success story through a personal narrative to persuade the reader to adopt humility as a strategy of success. Franklin spoke in first person to describe the struggle that he had underwent in creating the successful public library that was first met with lack of participants and hesitancy. However by sharing his personal strategy of humility, this lead his endeavors to be prosperous. In Franklins Autobiography he reaffirms this point in stating that “In this way my affair went on more smoothly, and I ever after practis’d it on such occasions; and, from my frequent successes, can heartily recommend it”. This can be a very powerful literary tool in convincing a reader that one is able to achieve great things by setting their ego aside, and in some circumstances allowing for someone else to take the credit, so that the task will be fulfilled. Often a first person narrative will be believed as truth, and many will be persuaded by what the author is stating.

 

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