Rhetorical Analysis

The film I chose for my project three research is a youtube video in which researchers describe sleep patterns and go on further to discuss REM sleep and its inclusion in the sleep process.  This done to explain how dreams work and where the meaning or your dream is produced.  The film's main audience would be people interested in sleep studies or those who seek to understand the dream process.  The film appeals to the audience through logos because in the video processes are explained and shown and there is a clear appeal to reason.

The song I choose, is by Ochre and it is meant to promote REM cycles and deep sleep.  Something I really don't need to be doing right now, that's for sure.  Back to the song, I believe it appeals mainly to the audience through emotions and therefore, pathos.  I think that Pathos is the most noticeable rhetorical appeal in the song because the song's tone seems to uplift the spirit at times and make you happy, and then at times it slows down, only to bring you up again, all the while relaxing your mind and giving you time to think about how the song makes you feel.  

The Art piece I chose from Salvador Dali's collection of surreal art best represents the amazing possibilities of a dream.  The tigers and elephants could represent multiple things in our dream such as a fear or even a love in our life, and in the same respect, the woman and the gun could symbolize a feeling of envy or lust by the dreamer.  Either way you look at it, it is clear that pathos if being used.  Appealing to many emotions with the abstract arrangement is one of Dali's methods of conveying Pathos, but I also notice instances of Logos. The image challenges logic and the progression of thought and makes the reader think again about the message in the art.

The book I chose outlines the main processes of sleep and continues to explain the dream process.  The book explores Rapid Eye Movement sleep through evolutionary psychology and seeks to make connections between the two.  The book's audience would be evolutionary psychologists and students alike, as well as anyone interested in the matter.  The book seems to appeal to the audience through Pathos because of the deductive reasoning used in the evolutionary psych perspective.  It appeals to a more logically driven audience because the theories in the book are rather deep and well thought out. 

Toni Morrison interview

Summary:  This weeks assignment included a viewing of an interview conducted on Toni Morrison, a writer, professor and editor that discusses many issues within the African American community.  She has recently published a novel by the name of Beloved which is mentioned in the interview as well as her other work.  In the interview, Rose and Morrison discuss her life and the progression of her career.  Morrison describes how one career lead to another, eventually leading up to where she is today, unfortunately not satisfied with her current ( self-underrated) work.

Reaction:  I found that Toni Morrison was a very accomplished woman and one of the most accomplished in her field that I know of.  She is calm and collected, and is humble throughout.  She is a strong woman at heart and I believe that has helped her through a hard career path to her present success.  

Just a wierd connection I made... A few days ago my friends and I were debating about whether or not we though that school was harder for our parents or us.  After listening to the interview, and reflecting on other instances of the cultural progression on societies view of race, I believe that it is most definitely harder for our parents given the higher rate of intolerance.  

Reflection:  Although she states that she has yet to put out her best quality of work, I believe that her thoughts were very developed and noteworthy.  The fact that one person can put out such great thought and expect to recognition or credibility, but rather to aide others, makes me think.  If people could be as humble as her the world would be a much better place, thats for sure.  I think that great personal success in ones work should not be measured by the quantity of approval, but the quality of the work approved.  I would say that her humble attitude proves my previous statement because with and attitude as so, you wouldn't need to boast about your work because you would know it is of greater quality, and if not, you would be so humble to say so as she has, regardless of the mass amount of positive praise she has received.

4 Aspects

My Book: http://voyager.eckerd.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=3&ti=1,3&Search%5FArg=dreams&Search%5FCode=FT%2A&SL=None&CNT=50&PID=gFIHiid6IVy-C5lbmrDeXP0mQxrfk&SEQ=20090414214557&SID=8

My video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOFYVbVtFXY

My song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N1OX319f9o

My Art:http://allforthegreatergood.com/Salvador_Dali_-_One_Second_Before_Awakening_from_a_Dream_Caused_by_the_Flight_of_a_Bee_Around_a_Promegranate.jpg

The Simpsons Archive

Summary-  The five or so pages of text by Sam Tingleff lay out various ways that the popular television show The Simpsons has clearly displayed their views of our capitalist society.  Through many episodes and variety hours, the man behind the Simpsons, Matt Groening, displays various one-sided views of how our society has become greedy, mindless drones.  Tingleff points out, through a few particular episodes, that middle-class life reflects more upon our nation than we initially think.  Family values are at question within the Simpsons, but when put in perspective, the show was now designed to challenge family structure but rather to question the morals of our government and political systems alike.  Many of the episodes have a warm family sense to them in the end, but throughout the episodes are little subtle hints at the control the capitalist society has on us, unfortunately some people only see the humor in the Simpsons rather than seeing Groening's true thoughts. 

Reaction-  I thought that Tingleff made a great deal of good points, many of which I have contemplated myself as I watched the seasons of the Simpsons air on the FOX network.  My mom used to always tell me that the reason she could watch cartoons such as The Simpsons, but not cartoons like Digimon, because shows like The Simpsons carry more meaning and have a place for both adults and children to enjoy.  This always made me curious to see whether I, as a child, could pick up on both the hilarious comedy before me, and also the deeper notions of our society on a capitalist leash.  I could occasionally pick up hints of more mature topics that I could relate to and make sense of through past conversations I may have eavesdropped into.  All in all I would say that I thought TIngleff's views are entirely true and of sound thought, but these hints of deeper meaning can be seen in nearly every cartoon and most t.v shows aired today.

Reflection-  I think that society should reconsider their viewpoints when they watch The Simpsons.  If I was able to pick up on random subtle jabs at society in the show when I was still in the age range of single digits, then I find it hard to believe that more mature individuals aren't making the connections I have.  If I am incorrect, and they have indeed picked up on these views of sexuality, middle-class life and of our society and environment, would it be safe to say that they have now incorporated Groening's views into their own?  And if so, what has that brought us today?  We still follow the same two-party system that we have for hundreds of years and our views of sexuality in media are still very skewed.  However, I would like to think that shows like The Simpsons have served as eye-opening experiences to many.  I feel as though people should know that they are more than just a viewer to a network, and they should know that the comical phrases by Homer and Bart are more than just stabs at an educational system or at our nation's companies harsh treatment of the environment, but rather they are symbolically representing our society in crisis.

Q-Do these types of shows, with underlying meaning and close relation to most of the country, help/hurt societies will to stand up for what themselves and speak their mind?

Q-If The Simpsons were to eliminate all underlying views of a capitalist society, leaving just mindless humor and displays of family oddity, would anyone still watch?

Q-Sinse Groening made such an effort to put his views into his work, what was his intention for doing so, and so often?

Anno-Second Sex

In this weeks reading, we observe Simone de Beauvoir's views of feminism both today and of yesteryear.  She makes many observations of the women of today and describes the inequality she sees with men.  She speaks of the death of conceptualism and in turn, the downfall of femininity.  She states that characteristics attributed to individuals are no longer biological but rather situational.  With this in mind, she hint's at the notion that the idea of a "woman" is lost.  Some other concepts Beavoir examines include the history and origin of women falling into the role of "the other," or the subservient being to man.  She argues that if the initial event that established men as the dominant sex in society, things would be drastically different and arguably, for the better.

I believe that Beauvoir's views of women throughout our known evolutionary process is very opinionated.  At times it seems as though she is entirely for the progression of the female society, and at other instances, she suggests that she isn't certain whether women would be better leaders or better suited for a position in society than a man.  Although she has contradictory views at times, her point is clear.  There is a slightly skewed demographic for women in our society in the sense that they are, without question, not equal to men.  This is not to say that they are incapable of more masculine activities, but rather to suggest that society has deemed women as less significant in certain areas of our society than men.

I agree with Beavoir in many aspects.  I feel as though it is unjust and very unfair to the women of today and of yesterday in our society.  Being a white male, I have rarely been put into a lower class group because of any aspects of my being.  I am in the least scrutinized category of individuals and if I was to put myself in the shoes of a woman today, I would not be satisfied with our society's views of women as a collective group.  I would argue fervently that the women of today are to be judged equally amongst men.  If women would like to be viewed equally amongst men, then why not?  What possible set-backs would arise from such views of equality?  I suppose it essentially opens up a spot for another group in society to complain about one of their groups problems.  However in this situation, I feel no better than women in our society and I think our society should re-think their views of people and be a little less judgmental in the future.