Blog Entry 4.5: Understanding Rhetoric

Chosen Text: A Song Of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

Questions Regarding The Text:
1. How does Martin manage to follow a continuous plot when the series features so many different characters?
2. Do all of the character’s have similar motives / goals, or vastly different ones?
3. How will each of the plots finally tie in together?
4. What about this narrative makes it so entertaining and compelling?

Standout Points
A. The cast of characters exceeds 100
B. Point of view changes between a roster of over 30 characters from chapter to chapter
C. Characters range from good, evil, to gray shades of morality.
D. The main plot revolves around the Iron Throne and rulership of the focal Kingdom.
E. Although many characters have never met, they are typically connected by another character.
F. Not every character wants to rule the Kingdom; only four contend for rulership, while a fifth only wants a small portion of the kingdom.

By listing these stand out points, I am able to answer the questions I previously posed. Question 1 is answered by the points of B and D, in that although Martin has a cast of many different characters, the point of view changes between a smaller selection of them, and they all remain tied to the main plot of the Iron Throne. Question 2 is answered by the points of A, C, and F, as the extremely large amount of characters in the cast, coupled with their own alliances, backgrounds, and morality, as well as the fact that they have different desires in regards to the main plot with only a bit of overlapping, proves that the characters all have varying goals and motives. Question 3 is answered by the points of B, D, and E, in that although many of the characters have never met, they are all associated with the main roster of 30+ that narrate the story in some way, and are in some way connected to or knowledgeable of the overall plot. Question 4 is answered by all of the listed points, as the story is driven by one combining plot, though told through the eyes of many vastly different characters, all with their own viewpoints on the current happenings and motivations, causing this story to be a highly character driven one.

Blog Entry 4: Understanding George Takei

Understanding Rhetoric’s prompt #1 asks us to write an analysis of a popular social networking page of someone famous. In regards to this prompt, I felt there was genuinely no better choice than the king of facebook himself, George Takei. Made famous in the 1970’s through his role as Mr. Sulu on the popular sci fi television show Star Trek, Takei has since found a reemergence in fame through his use of the social networking site Facebook, where over 4 million facebook users subscribe to his day to day posts. The idea of a once obscure celebrity reaching such popularity is unheard of, though once one delves into Takei’s facebook page itself, it’s not hard to see why the colorful and vibrant Takei attracts so many fans, with even I myself having been subscribed to him from some time now.

Takei appeals to our pathos, first and foremost. He offers several images per day that generally hold an amusing connotation. The images frequently make use of pop culture references, with George himself seeming to have a preference for mind puzzles and puns. Interestingly, George does not create these images himself, and instead encourages his fans to send in their own creations, which he picks and chooses from on what he would like to share with his fanbase (applying due credit as well). Through this method, George encourages an interaction with his fans that is absent from most facebooks of celebrities, most likely why he has become such an internet success. Takei may also link in the odd story from across the net that could have a heartwarming or tragic emotion attached to it, sharing his feelings on the matter with his fans. Takei also plays upon our pathos with his trademark catchphrase, encouraging his fans to be themselves no matter whom they are, “It’s okay to be Takei”.

While Takei certainly specializes in playing into our ethos, plenty of logos can be found amongst his page, in the form of links to relevant news stories and topics, complete with Takei’s own views on the matters. A figurehead in the Lesbian & Gay Rights groups, Takei closely follows legislation regarding any topics related to the homosexual community, even providing hour by hour updates when the Senate discussed and voted on banning gay marriage altogether. At one memorable point, Takei posted an interview, where he discussed his time in a Japanese internment camp following World War II, offering great insight to that way of life and his thoughts regarding the treatment now. Takei also frequently starts discussions upon his page, asking people for their opinions regarding current social issues.

For ethos, many would contend that Takei is not a credible source due to his status as a one shot actor, though many credentials follow the elderly man. Aside from being a prominent figurehead and well informed expert in the Lesbian & Gay Rights Movement, Takei is also a Japanese American who saw first hand the tragedies of World War II and the segregation that came with them. Takei is also frequently involved in many pop culture events, recently grand marashalling the chicken dance at Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest, and appearing at various award shows. Perhaps the most notable characteristic in Takei’s ethos is his lack of hatred, which is certainly a rarity in the unhindered world of the internet. Takei rarely slanderizes others, even those that disagree with his views, and openly encourages people of all types to be who they are. While slightly coy, Takei is never openly dirty, and maintains a pg status.

With all of these things in mind, simply subscribing to George Takei’s feed will easily inform you of why this obscure actor has become such a sensation. Each day I awaken with a little excerpt from Takei that makes me feel accomplished, and generally positive towards the world. This media monarch has certainly introduced to us a new world that is both easily accessible and enjoyable, showing us that, it truly is, “okay to be Takei”.

The Life Buffet

I used Calvin & Hobbes as the characters are recognizable, targeting the reader’s desire to relate. The comic displays that while America as a society has access to every type of food from across the globe, we hold a prejudice against it due to our own cultural stigmas and tastes. Enjoy!

Blog Entry 3: Descriptive Food

Of all foods, I have to say my favorite has to be ice cream. The soft, sweet treat has long been one of my favorites. I adore each flavor, whether it be the classic and simple vanilla, or the more quirky mint chocolate chip. It’s texture is soft and creamy, with the cold temperature perfectly suited for cooling you off during a warm day. It is by far the best dessert around!

Tonight for dinner, my boyfriend and I prepared barbecue chicken, steamed broccoli, and macaroni and cheese. The broccoli was a deliciously crisp, refreshing portion of the meal, steamed perfectly to only a slightly soft texture. The macaroni was buttery and chewy, with a delicious, creamy cheese sauce covering it’s crescent shaped pasta base. The chicken, however, was easily the best portion of the meal. The meat was tender, and came apart easily, with a deliciously zesty, yet sweet barbecue glaze. A perfectly prepared meal.

Blog Entry 2: Afterthoughts Of The First Essay

Upon first receiving the assignment of writing an essay on the topic of food related taboos, I found myself only slightly incredulous. The topic seemed interesting, and while the length of ten pages seemed rather long, I felt it would not be too difficult of a task to complete, and that I could simply overcome the essay in a day’s worth of work. However, after actually working on the essay, I realized my first assumptions were incorrect, and I have much to refine in terms of my writing skills.

The time devoted to the essay was far more than I first expected. After a time span of two hours, I realized I had only made it through two complete pages, what with research being performed between paragraphs. I saw then that the task at hand would cause more devotion to it than what I had previously considered, and decided to set aside roughly a few hours at every chance, in hopes of completing the assignment in a timely manner. This proved to be a wise decision, as the essay was finished right on schedule, the night before being due.

While writing the essay, I quickly realized the length of 10 pages was not to my benefit. Generally speaking, I had never realized the shortness of the five paragraph essay worked wonders in conveying the topic at hand in a clear, concise manner, and increasing the amount written about the topic was sure to muddle the message. While there was much information to be stated in regards to food taboos, much of it could have been worded more appropriately, and I find myself displeased with the final result.

My paragraphs seem to have little flow between them, and many phrases used to lead into a paragraph are reused, as well as connecting sentences, which seems to be a pet peeve of mine. I use the phrase “whether it be” roughly three times during the essay, which bothers me to some extent on a personal level. I also cite religious taboos on more than one occasion throughout the essay, while personally I would have rather sought the opportunity to confine all of the ideas in one clear, concise paragraph, citing all of the information at once, rather than almost turning my paper into a religious one. One quote I can cite in regards to religion is “Islamic taboos also regard the adornment of feathers from poultry, and items featuring a pig or dog motif as unacceptable, due to the animal’s uncleanliness”, which definitely confuses the topic at hand, as this statement has nothing to do with actual food, and as such I have lost the topic at hand.

In the future, my lesson learned will be better arrangement of the essay. I will be more careful to not let length allow me to lose my focus, and will keep on the task at hand throughout the essay, rather than allowing myself to stray.

Blog Entry 1: What Am I Learning About Writing?

Through the writing I have experienced thus far in this course, I have learned a few things about writing in general. From the visual novel “Understanding Rhetoric”, I have learned that imagery plays a large part in expressing the true meaning behind a writer’s statement. Certain adjectives or describing verbs can truly set the tone for the rest of the piece, or change the tone accordingly throughout. When it comes to my own writing, however, I noticed that my length can at times muddle my general point. When forced to write large amounts about small topics, I continue onto a ramble, and message becomes confused in the long run. At times, I feel it may be a better decision to be more concise, and to the point, so as the point of the writing to not become lost in the writing itself.