Papers

Out of the papers you are putting into your English portfolio, which one do you think shows your best work and which one do you think needs to be edited the most? Explain why. Be specific. Provide examples of your best and weakest areas.

I think my research paper is the best so far even though I haven't written the conclusion. I've spent the most time and research on it so it has a lot of information for my argument. The weakness I have in it is being clear on who I am talking to. Sometimes I get carried away and stray away from the conversation and ramble on about irrelevant stuff. I don't even know if Is still want to argue from the side I am on anymore. After research, I am almost convinced the other way around.
My McCandless paper can be edited the most. I have such a better knowledge for what is expected out of an essay and I have now completed the entire book so I can add more to my paper; quotes from the book and more research on secondary sources. I need to work on unpacking my quotes or close reading, I have no problem finding quotes to use for my paper but I have trouble analyzing what exactly I need to say about them in order for them to be significant to my argument.

Epilogue

Though the epilogue in Into the Wild was very short, it was also extremely important. How did the epilogue change your opinion or attitude toward Christopher's family after their reactions to visiting the bus in Alaska? Also, if you were in the parents situation, would you also want to visit the bus? Why or why not?

The epilogue did not change my opinion at all about Chris' parents. It only confirmed what I already knew. Earlier in the book the parents expressed deep remorse for the death of their son. Burying your own son is probably the single most awful thing a parent has to do. Chris' father hadn't any desire to visit the bus at first. But eventually he and Chris' eager mother ventured into the Alaskan tundra to visit the location where Chris expired. After all the years of wondering why Chris had abandoned his family that offered nothing but care and love things finally became clear to them. Walt even admitted that he could see how Alaska would appeal to Chris. Chris' mother couldn't get over how beautiful the scenery was. This epilogue made me very sad, however. If Chris were my son, I would not want to see the bus he starved to death in. But I would go anyway because not going would eat at my conscious for the rest of my life. It is important to overcome the tragedy and get some closure.

My primary source for my research paper is The Cosby Show. The Cosby Show is a sitcom consisting of an all-black cast about a black family but is not necissaricly geared toward a black audience. The show pokes fun at day-to-day situations and family issues. Compared to other all-black shows from the 1980s like The Jeffersons and Good Times, The Cosby Show allowed us to forget racial stereotypes and welcomed anyone with a sense of humor to watch. America was going through a lot of social and cultural changes in the 20th century and still in the process of recovering from an extremely racist history. The Cosby Show bridged the gap of black and white audiences and, in the thirty minutes of each episode, took us to a place where the color of your skin no longer mattered.

Some people don't think this way though. Some actually believe that The Cosby Show set people back a step on the racial meter. They state that white people don't know the disadvantages African Americans are born into and when whites see a failed black man, they remember the Cosby Show and believe that the reason the black man is in that situation is because he didn't try hard enough in life. Like it's his own fault. Hopefully the audience that reads my paper can see that there is hope for a racially equal society in America. Many people will always be racist, hopefully that will phase out once everyone strives to overcome their stereotypes.My argument is still in the works but I think it is a good blueprint for the paper.

Research Paper

I decided to research how The Cosby Show influenced how African Americans were portrayed in Hollywood. Prior to The Cosby Show's all-black cast emergence in 1984, other shows of that type portrayed African-Americans as the "Jive" "Streetwise" ghetto stereotype. The Cosby Show was important because it showed black people living in the upper middle class and didn't have that slapstick humor. I hope that this can show how racism is involved in the media.

Yes I believe this is what she truly wants her readers to write. She explains "show don't tell" but she kind of preaches that the path to excellence writing is showing and telling. The art of description can lead a writer to many different routes in an essay. It does show true for essays in school because we are obviously not just writing in conversation with the teacher. No matter who reads the essay, whether they are in our class or not, they should be able to understand everything that we are talking about. A writer can get carried away and Patricia describes an example of a particular author who does this. Its great practice, I think is what she is suggesting.
I am looking at an emptey Ranier Beer can. It is a very simple design painted on the aluminum. The way it just sits there can make one recall a number of experiences seeing an empty beer can. One may be reminded of the good times they had while drinking it or they can be disgusted because the hangover is so bad that they wish they had never seen it. Its amazing how 12 oz. of a certain brand of unique beer can be so significant. In a pile of empty Busch Light cans, the one Ranier stands out. It's dominate white background with red writing and gold ribbon would suggest it is a classy beer. But in fact it is very cheap and in fact almost cheaper than Busch Light itself. I could go on and on about past experiences with Ranier, my favorite beer. The good and bad times are amplified by consumption of alcohol.

Ruess

The journeys McCandless and Ruess partook in was a result of their infatuation with the wild. Unfourtunately they were fatal. They both had family trouble so it makes sense that they felt a need to escape from their oppressing reality. They set out to make new lives for themselves. McCandless' family issues, in my opinion, were not exaggerated. I in fact can kind of relate. Upper middle class family pressure to succeed in life and make lots of money can be overwhelming at times and I wish I could just go out and travel the world and not have a care in the world. I don't hate my family but I do hate some of their rules. Curfew wouldn't make me want to abandon the family that provided for me for 20 years though.

Rhetoric promt

"In writing Into The Wild, Jon Krakauer has obvious opinions about the subject and employs rhetoric to show this. If you were writing the story of Christopher McCandless, how would your rhetoric differ from that of Krakauer? Would it? What types of rhetoric would you use, and why? What might this story be called?"

If I was writing the story I think I would use the same balance as Krakauer. He does a pretty good job of logically commenting on the actions that Chris does even though they are not always the best. He shows both sides of the argument most of the time. He is more towards the pathos side in this book but this is a really deep book. He doesn't really have to set up his credibility as the narrator just because the reader doesn't really care about him, they care about Chris. If I were to write this book I would incorporate a lot of pathos to get the reader involved on an emotional level while letting them know the logical and practical information that goes along with what Chris does. I would call my book, "Nature vs. Nurture, Nature Always Wins."

Response to blog

This is honestly a hard question to answer. I have no idea what I would do because I can't imagine leaving my family. Even if I wasn't particular fond of them they still have supported me for so many years that I feel like I would owe it to them to stay "in the family." I could just go hang out with the second family. It would be extremely selfish to leave you mother, father, siblings, aunts, uncles and other relatives because you didn't like them. My friend's families are cool but I wouldn't abandon my own to be with them. I would be flattered if someone asked to adopt me but after knowing someone for a couple weeks I wouldn't naively just go stay with them. Family is something more than just liking each other. Chris probably didn't want to because of that reason in addition that he wanted to go to Alaska. He gave up on his family to pursue his dream of living off the wild! I don't think Chris even considered finding a new family.

In what ways were you inspired during the last presidential campaign? Do you recall any specific moments where you felt a shift in your attitude towards politics, life, the world? How did those feelings translate into actions? Or, did you find the whole campaign season so overwhelming that you just tuned out? If so, what do you think could be changed to improve the election process?

I actually didn't pay that much attention to the last election. I don't really like politics. My friends were about half and half on McCain and Obama. When I heard that Obama won I was happy to see the first black president but from my lack of political knowledge I couldn't have told you that he was the better candidate. After a while I did just tune out because I was so tired of hearing "Obama this..." and "Obama that..."

If I was in the Wild

I do not think I would last at all in the wild. The longest I've ever been camping was for 4 days and I had food packed and 3 other people with me. If I were to try and face the elements of Alaska, I would need waterproof clothing, a tent, warm blankets, pots and pans, a knife, an ax, a compass, and a map of the area. That's all I can think of now. My biggest fear would be running into something higher in the food chain than me and being alone. If I was with a group of trained specialists, it would be a fun experience for a while but I like living in a warm house with television and a mattress to sleep on.

Introduction

My name is Travis. You can call me Trav or whatever as long as you don't call me Trevor or something. I am from Bellevue and I played football for two years. I quit because it was too much of a time commitment so I got a job and took up guitar. I love all types of music. I like classic rock the best but I mostly listen to hip-hop just because there is always new stuff coming out. My favorite bands include Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles. As for rap I like Mos Def, Kid Cudi, Wu-Tang Clan, and Mac Dre just to name a few. I enjoy meeting new people, guitar solos, drinking games and warm places.
I don't really read books because I would rather watch a movie or be outside doing something but I'm starting to consider doing it more. I think that I'm a good writer when am allowed to be creative and not forced to write about something boring like accounting principles. I am a finance major here at WSU. My dad is an accountant and knows a lot of people so I'm hoping he can hook me up with a job after I graduate. Math always came naturally to me. One plus one is always two and I hate when concepts and stuff come into play. This semester I am trying to get it together and get straight A's. I'll have to sacrifice a lot but in the end it'll be worth it.