Logan Brock Blog #4- "I Am Not a Savage"

I thought this was a great essay. Throughout the essay the author used great ethos, pathos, and logos to get her point across, as well as make the essay flow well. A hometown story is always a good one in my opinion because the writer is always the best source on the subject. A thought she used great pathos when describing how the guest speaker began to cry while talking about her native land and people. The author then used great ethos while taking the reader into a deeper insight about the character of her town, and how they used to ignore and treat the Lehmi heritage as if it were of no importance, but now they try and use it to make the almighty dollar. Last she used great logos through bringing out the big fact of her hometown, and that was that Sacagawea was born there. All these are just a few examples of the great emotion, character/morals, and logistics the author used to thicken up this paper and make it enjoyable for the reader.

"Clothing Optional"

I really enjoyed the intro of the essay. The humor behind the sentence "While you are not allowed to roam freely in your birthday suit," made me want to continue reading the essay. I feel like the humor introduced before a serious topic makes it easier for the audience to follow and enjoy the essay. I also thought that the opening sentence of the second paragraph stating facts draws more attention to the idea behind the essay. Stating statistics is a great way to get your point across and portray the seriousness of the subject. I learned a lot throughout the essay which is the most important part of writing an essay of this nature your job as an author is to teach the reader the facts in an artistic and enjoyable read. I had no idea that hemp and marijuana was different, and that hemp didn't contain THC the part of marijuana that makes you "high." I thought the entire essay was very compelling and the facts stated throughout made it an interesting read. I would have liked to see a little more of the author's voice and less straight up facts to add a little more interest to the essay but all in all I really enjoyed this essay.

Rhabyn Blog#4 I Am Not A Savage

This story was very good. It became very deep when Rosa, the Lemhi Indian, stood up against what she might had considered a racist or completely misunderstood audience of Caucasians, and dared to say that she was not a savage with bitter tears. Back in the day, Native Americans were called savages, but I don't know why. Anyway, she explained that her people were peaceful and that they didn't approve of being called savages. A rancher named Bud also stood up, angry commenting on the government's taunts, such as "lazy Indians", with fists in the air. The noted that after these two people completed their speeches, she felt ashamed of being apart of the community who's ignorance had completely pierced the heart of a specific race that had almost perished during the 1800s through early 1900s. I'd feel upset too if my race was known as a savage by another race, and that exact race had put mine in jeopardy for more than a century. I think I would have left the city of Salmon and move to another state if I had been Rosa. Bud seems very hard-headed in this story, so I don't think he'd move anywhere. I wish the story had more detail about him and his fury.

Brittani Blog # 4.

I would have to agree with keyanna. I'm actually used to a five paragraph essay since i am still in high school. But i'll just have to adapt to the new and different style of writing. I'm a little confused about how there are more than just two sides. In the "Clothing" essay, it was basically saying how someone's life is valued less than clothing. I don't think that the essay was always clear but i got the main point. I don't think that people actually think that in depth about another person's life when they are simply buying their clothes. Truth be told I know that I don't.

Gabi: "I am not a Savage"

I really enjoyed this essay. And I am not kidding. I think I'm going to buy that book. I felt like that the author really opened my eyes to issues that are happenining in most towns. Through her personal experience of having two speakers come to their school to talk about the issue and having read that inspiring book, you could tell that she knew what she was talking about.

I really related well to this essay too. It seems like the the author is the type of person that when she is introduced to something important like the Lemhi's history and well being, that she would want to do something to help. I am kinda the same way and if I was introduced with an issue like this, then I would want to learn more about it and see what I could do to make a difference. And this might sound corny, but I think that is what being an American is about. This essay made me want to help....it made me see where I was being ignorant.

The essay flowed really well too, every aspect of the argument essay was spaced out great. The introduction was neat because I would have had no idea that it would have led to talking about racism within a community. I was completely persuaded and I want people to feel like this about my essay.

Keyanna Jackson Blog 4

After reading the essays i have realized this is not what i am use too. I am use to writing a structured essay with each paragraph having a purpose. However i have realized that when reading the Getting Real in the Classroom i see that the structure of my essay will have to be more relaxed and flowed about my topic. I mean when i read clothing optional i realized that it was the better one out of all of them. The author really connected with myself and any other teenagers in the United states about clothing. It does make me laugh when it talks about the bad reasons to wearing jeans. I have seen that i should kind of write like this author however not copy her work. i think my essay will be good and my topic will be very revealing to others.

Erika Blog #4

After reading the three essays i thought that the first essay "Clothing Optional," was a lot better than the others. I guess that it interested me more than the others did, I could relate to this because i wear jeans, i really don't know why but i enjoyed reading this one. I thought it was cool how the author tells why there are bad reasons to wear jeans. Some things that i would have never thought about. Just the cotton itself. The essay to tell the truth taught me some stuff about jeans that i didn't know. I liked how the author used their cites well to make sense. but some of the things in the story didn't make sense to me because when i think about the word argument i think about negativity and two sided. In this essay i see that the author is doing more of the talking and i didn't see another side i thought it was more of what the author thought versus what others thought. This essay also didn't seem to agrue it seemed more persuasive than it does to agrue. I'm confused now on how to write this essay. I just need more help in understanding if we're agruing or persuading the reader or are we combining the two?

Harriet Blog #4

Out of the three essays, the one I found the most interesting was "Clothing Optional." This essay brought up a lot of points that were really surprising to me, and things that never would have crossed my mind. The author discusses some of the negative and even dangerous sides of clothing, especially cotton clothing. I had no idea that jeans are dangerous, because they are dyed using toxic processes. The author also mentions why cotton clothing is dangerous. Cotton is treated with tons of chemicals, because it is so susceptible to pests and diseases. These pesticides can have harmful effects on people that wear the clothes made with this cotton, and even more harmful effects on the people that make the clothes. The pesticides kill a shocking number of people a yer, which is between 20,000 and 40,000. This author really brings a new pespective to the clothing I throw on each day, and don't think twice about. Gina Sinisi then brings up a lot of safe, economical alternatives to buying the dangerous cotton clothing. This includes buying organic cotton, second-hand clothes, doing clothing swaps with a friend, or buying hemp clothes. This article was really eye opening for me and was really informing. I like the way she organized this essay, by presenting the downfalls to cotton and then giving safe alternatives to help the environment, and people on the other side of the world.

Luis' Blog #4 Readings

This argument essay is completely different from what I am used to and it is noticeable in the essays that I read.
In "Clothing Optional", the essay's central point was very difficult for me to find and the organization didn't help at all. It seemed to go off topic all the time, but then incredibly linked it back to what was previously stated. Although, I wasn't entirely sure as to what the whole phrase of "would you trade your jeans for your mom?" was all about. It didn't seem to fit in the text and that is what confused me a bit. Also, because it started talking about hemp, which at first seemed completely random, but then once again tied it back into what she was trying to say in her thesis. This seemed to present the argument essay in a very difficult manner, because it made it seem very complex. I also didin't find much complexity of the issue, by that I mean I didn't see any other sides presented, but she did present a lot of her opinions.
Besides the fact that this essay made me become intimidated by how to write an argument paper, it presented many facts and interesting ideas that have never considered before. For example, when Gina mentions that hemp is an alternative to organic material in clothing. That was really neat fact.
"Getting Real in The Classroom," to me, also seemed to have organizational problems. It would abruptly change examples without good transitions. But the way both essays tone were like they were actually talking to the reader made it easier to read.
But now I am worried on how to write this paper, it seems more like a persuasion than argument.

Harriet Blog #3

I thought the essay, "Odd Girl Out," was pretty interesting. It reminded me of my days in middle school, because girls really were like that. I thought the author did a good job of using the little girl's story, because I was able to tell how she felt and what was going on. However, I thought she made the whole relational aggression thing a bigger deal than it actually is. In my opinion, it is something just about every girl and sometimes boys go through, when they are trying to figure out their place and where they fit in. For the most part, I think it is just a phase and you eventually (hopefully) grow out of it. I think most people realize that being so mean and catty is not worth all the drama and effort. I also think the author should have given some of her own opinion and some solutions to all the relational aggresion, and also made the little girl feel better, instead of hammering her with questions.

Logan Brock Blog #3-"My Freshman Year: Worldliness and Worldview

Wow, I am simply in amazement after reading this article! Talk about getting bashed. Yet, people always want to talk about how AMERICA needs to worry bout itself. Maybe the students whose comments are in this essay should abide by their own words. They want to claim how ignorant we are of other cultures and how we Americans think the USA is the greatest place to live. Well reality check foreigners, this is the best place to live. If you think other wise then start telling people from your countries to quit immigrating over here and living the good life! And so what if we are some what uninformed about your countries. Why should we give a damn? We don't reside there so really we have nothing to worry about there. The French appear to be the real asses in this essay. To start with they throw out the stats about Americans not being able to "point out Iraq", when all that really matters is if we take care of business over there just as we are. Then they deem it necessary to throw in how all American teachers care about is American success. "I mean they taught how, in WWII, America saved France and saved the world, how they were so great." Well I guess we should have just let all those in need suffer! Without out us your country of France could have well been wiped of the face of the earth. Sure our country is not perfect by any means, but before you go spouting off all these IGNORANT statements just remember who the dominant force in this world is. USA!

Odd Girl Out

I love these kind of drama stories. It reminds me of the novel Speak by Laurie Anderson, but in this case, the victim isn't despised by the entire school. Cassie is the victim in this story, who is abandoned by Becca, her first grade best friend, due to the fact that Kelly came between the two. I could understand the relationship if they were friends since first grade. I moved from elementary school to elementary school, so I never had a true elementary buddy. In middle school, I had five great best friends, three were in eighth grade with me, and two were in seventh grade. Last year, I ended up with only two of the eighth grade girls that stayed as my true middle school buddies and are now my high school buddies. The other one transferred to another school, so she's gone, and that sucks. As for the two seventh graders, however, one started to regain our friendship with me through talking, while the other went her own way. As you can see, losing best friends wasn't that big of a deal for me. Maybe it's because I didn't have them as friends during my first grade year, but middle school was as far as we went. I believe Cassie is more emotional than me. I only cried once and that was in my room, but I fortunately I have two new best friends. I think Cassie needs to find more best friends too.

"Odd Girl Out"

I really enjoyed the intro of this essay. The show details in the first two paragraphs grabbed my attention. I thought the "blink-and-you-miss-it" phrase was creative and I also really enjoyed the "song on the radio" detail. I thought it was an imaginative way of saying that it was a small town. I know that I could definitely relate to the relational aggression. Especially in middle school it was so important to fit in, that people would do anything. I think that so many relationships were so shallow it didn't matter how often you changed friends. I disagree with what the author said about it mostly being about girls. I feel that men have the same problem. It just isn't as over dramatized. 

Gabi : From Odd Girl Out

I feel like this essay was done in three different parts. It went from decribing a boring town in the most nice and exciting way possible and the town still seemed like it sucked to interviewing the sweet little girl that we can all relate with, to ending on a never ending paragraph after paragrph definition of relational aggrestion with elementary school girls.

I feel like the author could have done a better job of mixing all of those three topics up and also realize that she doesn't need to keep on explaining relational aggresion...we have all experienced it!.....but maybe I'm being a little biased because the essay says that boys are usually classified as "physical aggresors", so I guess that explaining relational aggresion that much makes sense. I just feel like the way the author organized her essay made it seem like she was starting a novel. I had a good point to make and I thought it was original. Now I have a better idea of how I want my essay to be.

Brittani Blog #3: Odd Girl Out

Ok... so i think that everyone can relate to this essay. Even though we may not like to admit it, we all want to be apart of a group. I can really relate to Cassie because some times we feel like we're not good enough. I can remember in elementary and middle school wanting to be apart of what my "friends" were talking about and feeling like i didn't fit in and that they were talking about me. But when i started high school i realized that it really doesn't matter what other people think of you and what they may say. I'm not sure of this essay is really an example of a subculture, but maybe in a way it is. I guess that since she feels alone and that she doesn't belong to a group that she by herself is her own subculture. I really don't know.

Keyanna Jackson Blog #3

when i was reading the story i realized that i could kind of relate to what the story was about. It did make since to me and also i could imagine what i was reading. Intimate enemies was really a good story. I loved the way the words flow and how you can see thigs. also that she uses details about how it felts. however i am confused about the essay that we are doing. I really don't get what are we doing for thursday. I really am confused on what kind of sources that are needed for this type of essay. I really need help on getting that information. -

Erika Lujan Blog #3 Odd Girl Out

When i was reading the story i was really interested in it because i can relate to this story. It reminds me when i was in elementary school how they would leave someone out. I still see it today now that I'm older when i look at younger children it still happens. I like the way that i could see the story in my mind. She used great detail. I felt that i was there. It was funny how this story relates a lot to me. Ive be excluded form groups once before, i felt that they were talking about me to. Like the author I asked myself questions about why they were. Overall I liked this story. I think I like it because I can relate to it.

Luis' Blog # 3 "Odd Gril Out: Intimate Enemies"

When I first started reading this story, it didn't really catch my attention. The author tried to make the Ridgewood seem like it was "all that", when in reality, we know that it was close to a ghost town. It seems as if nothing were there. Back to the topic, I have a similar situation, and it was actually part of my freewrite today in class. The part where the author said, "They started to get really close and they just forgot me," (376). This is completely true in my situation because my two "friends" and me started off getting to know each other and had great times hanging out with each other. Then, I'm guessing, they began to find more things in common between themselves and began to exclude me. Just like the author, I began to ask myself why were they doing this? I was nice to them and did nothing for them to have treated me like they did. But I am over it now and ignore them now.
One thing that I didn't like about this little excerpt was that it went off on a tangent. It left me wanting to know what happened to Cassie, but instead it went into detail about how children are capable of seeing meaningful relationships. Although I found some of the thoughts interesting, such as the one stating that boys tend to act in physical aggression and girls, relational aggression; Its all pretty fascinating. The only problem was that it didn't let us know how Cassie turned out and a solution to her problem. I wouldn't argue any of the views in this story because they all seem entirely true. Boys tend to show aggression through fighting and girls, although they do fight sometimes, they tend to gang up on each other in groups with friends. Its surprising that I haven't actually noticed and acknowledged that observation before.
But I did like the story because I could put myself in Cassie's shoes and re-experience the same thing.

RWYATT's blog #3 "My Freshman Year: Worldliness and Worldview"

I like this essay. It raises awareness about the general thoughts and knowledge of the incoming collegiate norm. This is a paper is bashing our pre-college education of the world, but in a way that makes it acceptable or even helpful. I can totally agree that getting into college doesn't make you smart; I have experienced all sorts of questions being asked of apparent foreigners that make me want to slap the ignorant inquirer. I also disagree with this essay; America is not the only nation that teaches history in its own context. I have had the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom: England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, to represent the U.S. in a student ambassador program. In every place I visited during the month there I received the same kind of ignorant questions, especially when saying I was from Texas. No one knew where Texas was, but they were certain I rode a horse to school, carried a revolver and randomly yelled "YEEHAW!" People of all ages asked me those type of things with total seriousness. It is always good to learn just a bit more about other cultures, it all the more opens your eyes.

Gabi "Courting Confusion"

Considering the fact that this article was in a Christian magizine, im aware that this might be more biased than a normal article. Ok so first of all I think that this authors opinions are based on stereotypes which make this a boring essay to me. I mean tell me something that I already don't know. I also have a different opinion of how relationships are delt with these days. Personally, most of my friends go about relationships in a pretty normal way, but every relationship is different and I feel like this person thinks that they are the same.
Also, the author never really came up with a solution or a resolve at the end. It was baisicly a strong voice just voicing her opinion with some facts mixed in.
Gabi

Justin's Blog #2 The Worth of a Date

I agree with Beth Bailey's assertion that dating was the "commodification" of courtship. Traditionally, a date was a social pact in which a man agrees to cover any expenses incurred during a window of time in exchange for a women's time, attention, affection, etc.

I do feel, however, that the way in which dating is defined has evolved since Ms. Bailey's assessment. I believe that the term's association with an underlying activity and monetary sacrifice has weakened.  The criteria for dating is now time-based: it is based upon the frequency of interaction. More specifically, two people are considered to be dating when an extensive amount of time is shared talking to, relating to, learning about, and hanging out with one another. Furthermore, a level of intimacy has to exist; in addition to spending quality time together, there must be a mutual and genuine romantic interest in one another. This distinguishes dating from pure platonic friendship.  

Lindsey Blog #2

Both "Courting Confusion" and "The Worth of a Date" seemed to me to be an informal research essay. It seemed to me that they were out to "prove" a point instead to discover a point. For example, in "Courting Confusion" the author states that "the prominence of the hook-up in these women's lives is a sign of an impoverished social scene-impoverished socially, romantically, and even erotically" and i felt that the author's mind was made up at the very beginning that even though courtship is an antiqued phenomenon, romance itself is losing its way. These research essays, as i staed earlier, seemed informal. the research done was not very academic and the sources sited in "The Worth of a Date" are from magazines written at the time. although this may prove socially significant with survey's in them done, it seemed to me like these essays were not meant for academia but rather a socially wide context. i also felt as though the entire essays were the authors voice, which is one more reason why i feel these essays are informal. For example, in "Courting Confusion" the author states that "the dissolution of many of the older rituals was no doubt a necessary step toward egalitarian relationships" with no back-up of why these rituals are too outdated to work, even though right now there is a "lack of tradition for channeling and reflecting on erotic desires". if the author thinks that courtship is so outdated, he/she should provide an idea of what could be done instead.

Whitney G blog #2

In "Courting Confusion" I thought the essay showed how the older generations look onto our younger generations as far as dating is concerned. I understood the point the author was trying to get across, but the paper almost seemed ignorant. Not meaning stupid, but the literal meaning; uninformed or unaware. They ignored the fact that times are changing and never sat down with any of these girls to understand exactly what is going on in today's society. Women are more independant and with that comes the freedom to do what we choose. Just because sexually women are becoming equal to men and there is more casual dating doesnot mean that there is marriage only by coinsidence. Young people are getting married and making it work. Sure there are no set in stone rules leading up to marriage, but if there had been rules on courting before would this situation be where it is? Or would we still be dating by those same rules? Are the unwritten rules of dating making our college campuses and society worse? I don't think so. I just think times are changing.

Harriet Blog #2

I don't really understand what the point the author of "Courting Confusion" is trying to make. I agree that the rituals of dating have changed a lot over the years. The author quotes Amy and Leon Kass who say "there are no socially prescribed forms of conduct that help guide young men and women in the direction of matrimony." I don't really agree with this statement, although I'm not 100% sure what they are trying to say. I think there are still plenty of people who go through the traditional stages of dating and proposal and marriage today, and even have lasting marriages. The divorce rates are extremely scary, and knowing that it is around 50%, marriage doesn't seem very appealing to some people. I also didn't really see any point to "The Worth of a Date." The author just seemed to ramble on about how girls only judge guys on how much they spend on them and a date is only as good as how much it costs. I don't think this is true at all. A guy could take a girl on a date and buy her an expensive dinner and flowers, but it could be really dull, and a date that costs nothing can be a lot of fun. It all depends on the person, not their wallet. I did however like they way the author wrote, and I enjoyed the stories from the 1940's and 50's. It was interesting to read about how dating has changed through the years, and what has stayed the same about it.

Brittani Blog #2: "Courting Confusion"

OK. while reading this essay, at first, I really wasn't reading in depth, but as i made it to about the third paragraph, I started to get it to. I would to completely disagree with the statement that "hooking up" is making out or having sexual intercourse and not having any emotional attachment afterwards. For my generation and with the people that I am around on a daily basis, the phase "hooking up" is not just hooking up with someone from the opposite sex just one time, but actually having a relationship with that other person. Someone might say "i want to hook up with him" and they simply mean that they want them to be their boyfriend. So that was something that I disagreed with. The definition of "hooking up" in the essay was basically a one night stand in my vocabulary. Another thing that i didn't like was the fact that some of the women surveyed in the essay would "hook up" and then find themselves emotional attached to the person that they hooked up with. In my opinion, if you already know what a "hook up" consists of and you know that there is a possibility that you may become attached, why would you do it?

LBrock Blog #2 "Courting Confusion"

In the article, "Courting Confusion", I feel that the author is trying to make an argument on something that is based purely on opinion. As the author states in paragraph five, "There are few chances to explore deeper relationships in a safe and measured way, and with a sense of shared and legitimate expectations", this seems to be based only on what he sees rather than on hard evidence. I for one have seen several of my friends, as well as many random people, engage in "long-term", deeper, more fulling relationships at the collegiate level. Another thing I'm having trouble grasping is how the Kasses feel that a "compass" is needed to get people to the altar. Regardless that today we are living in a flawed sense of dedication and committment when it comes to marriage, I feel that things simply happen for a reason, and if that means that people accidently end up at the altar together and become wed then so be it. I think that the text has much good to say such as its referrals to hook-ups, but it should also look harder at the younger generations and the relationships they are engaging in before making comments such as the one stated above.

Erika Lujan Blog #2 "Courting Cinfusion"

I just finished reading the "Courting Confusion" and I didn't understand what she was talking about. The meaning of things have changed form generation to generation. I guess I misinterpret what she was saying. For example when she says "hooking up" in the article the meaning that i get from it is a sexually relationship. As a teenager I understand hooking up to be a desperate relationship, something that isn't going to last long. Another example would be when a teenager says we're going out now. An older generation would think at it as they are going somewhere together. What we mean about it is that we are dating now. I think that its just the way people interpret things, one might mean something and the other thinks at it as a different thing.

Luis Blog# 2 "Courting Confusion"

Reading towards the end of the article from the "Christian Century Magazine", I was beginning to get a bit confused about what the author was talking about. So are our current rituals not the best? I will challange what this author is saying about "Hooking Up" because there are many different terms for the phrase. In middle school and even now in high school, it is what you say when someone is going out; as in seeing each other. To us teenagers, hooking up does not mean that you are becoming sexually active, but just that you are dating that person. This magazine is using the definition of hooking up as " involves a range of sexual activities, from kissing to intercourse..." This is not how teenagers percieve hooking up. But I do agree that hooking up involves two people who don't know each other well and them going on a date or hanging out together. There are too many definitions of this phrase.
I do agree with the fact that courting rituals are defenitely changing, we are becoming even more sexually curious than ever before.
I feel that this article might be a bit biased because it is a Christian Magazine and the survey that was conducted was geared towards a woman perception, not both sexes.

To get off topic a bit, I find this research essay to be a bit difficult, because I am used to writing research papers to back up a point that I am trying to make or present some new information. Not to answer a question of mine. I have to get out of the high school mentality of writing research papers. Its going to be difficult.

RWYATT's Blog #2 on "The Worth of a Date"

Speaking from a guy's point of view I would have to put the blame more on women for viewing a potential relationship partner as a commodity. Women expect a certain amount of luxury and treatment going into any kind of dating atmoshere and men have to keep up. The start of this essay with the 'Anna Nicole' situation is really the only place where men have control. The large wallet, as the author puts it, is the controlling factor for a man. Up until value in that sense is gained, women have control or a higher stake in the relationship process. There are exceptions, especially in the case of the stereotypical 'young love' but as the biological clock ticks men are branded with a dollar sign at first sight.

Kensey Gilbert "Courting Confusion"

The Magazine article "Courting Confusion" the author is discussing how the rituals of courtship has changed throughout the years. During the "baby booming" decade marriage and sex was sacred  has now become casual. I think that human curiosity and increase of knowledge and self fulfillment of women has a lot to do with this. Some women don't want to be married and such a young age and have more have a strive to be more than just a housewife. Amy and Leon Kass that taught at University of Chicago suggested that "there are no socially prescribed forms of conduct that help guide young men and women in the direction of matrimony." They believed that people still make it down the aisle but as more of an accident. I completely agree with what they are saying, so many people make this mistake of marrying sometime because they are at that "age" where typical americans getting married. There is so much pressure in our society to live the American dream and yet we have the highest divorce rate of any other country. The article also says that colleges offer living, eating and sleeping together at a young age with few opportunities in between. I feel that this is slightly judgmental in the fact that it is up to the person in whether or not they decide to get into casual sex. By no means to any colleges force that or encourage it by having coed living. They are simply built to please. With the new racy society its hard to keep the "crowd please" when it comes to keeping seperate dorms on top of cheaper living cost etc. 

Gabi "The Barn"

I have read "The Barn" before and I still enjoy this short story. I think that it has a lot of meaning to it Not only does it remind me of all the fun times that I had during my childhood but it also reminded me of those times when I really did scare myself. I learned from my mistakes and if something sacred me enough I would not do it again. I believe that you get back on the horse if you fall off but the stupid things that we do growing up are the things to learn from. I believe that the underlying meaning in this story is to show that life is about learning from your mistakes; thats what makes you stronger and thats what make you grow as a person.

Harriet Blog #1

After reading the first two chapters of "The Curious Writer," I was able to see a different side of essay writing. I really like the casual, laid back way the author writes and describes writing essays. He gives really helpful advice and tips. I enjoyed reading "The Barn," because it reminded me a lot of my childhood. At our farm, we have a barn that we called they hay barn when we were little. We would climb up on stacks of hay and then jump down to piles of hay on the ground. Getting hurt never crossed our minds, but like in the essay, seeing who was brave enough to go to the highest spot and then jump down was always a big deal. The essay also reminds me of the first time I got the wind knocked out of me. It is one of the worst feelings and can be really scary and confusing for a little kid. I really liked how the author used such descriptive words, because I was able to picture the rope in the barn, and I enjoyed being able to relate to the essay in more ways than one. It is a really lighthearted essay that at first seems like the author is just reminiscing about her childhood, but later you realize it was a significant event in her life, that made her realize about death.

LBrock's Blog #1-"The Barn"

The short story, "The Barn", was a great example of how doing daring things as a young kid usually teaches you a life lesson. Just as the young girl in the story learned her life lesson by daring to walk across beams at high heights and swinging from a rope and dropping from high heights, I learned my life lesson as a child to never run in front of a herd of guys that are much larger and faster than because you will end up getting trampled! The story does a great job of portraying life how most people live it, and that is by showing that it only takes once to learn your lesson after doing something that hurts you.

The Barn- Whitney G

When I read the first sentence of "The Barn" I thought that I would be reading about someone describing what their life was like growing up on a farm. When I got to the second sentence I thought that this was going to be a negative story about death on the farm. As the story progressed it was easy to put myself in the midst of her and Bobby in the barn because of the show details she used. Because of the build up of the day and the enjoyment everyone was having I was just waiting for something bad to happen because the introduction had already given the build up when talking about death. When I found out that she had not died and that she had only got the breath knocked out of her I felt relieved because I felt I already had a connection with her. When I look back at how I feel when I get the breath knocked out of me, I realize that when that happens for the first time it is very scary. She is able to connect with her audience because it is an experience that most people can relate to.

Justin's Blog #1 The Barn

I was a little apprehensive about reading "The Barn" because I thought it was going to be descriptive essay about...a barn. That's not really of any interest to a city boy. However, the opening gave way to the true essence of this piece: mortality. Moreover, it's a narrative that explores the instant the author first acknowledged her own mortality. The author details the defining moment--an evening of learning to "swing the bay"--and how it impacted her ability to articulate risk: is this something that is simply challenging or life-threatening. The barn serves as a backdrop to the story.

Lindsey Twynham's Blog #1

I read and reread the story "The Barn". The second time I read the story I jotted notes down about what I was thinking as the story unraveled. At the very beginning I understood that the story would be about death, and found it at first gruesome and depressing. As the story went on I found her ultimate reflection on the subject was very insightful. The author produced wonderful "show details", as Ballenger calls them, and it made me feel like I could reproduce her feelings as I was reading the story. There were many similies and metaphors. The subject of the essay was commonplace, as Ballenger states many are, but she was able to take this seemingly insignificant experience and graduate it to a whole other level. In this way she does show the "authority" of her experience because she was able to convey to her readers why this particular experience was so significant. Her main "thesis" or theme was somewhat displayed at the beginning, but ultimately the major theme arrived at the end of the personal essay, instead of the beginning. This ultimately is the best way to develop a personal essay, by showing the process of newfound knowledge and what that means in the long run. She seems to be using the dialectical processes that Ballenger explains by shifting from creative to critical, back and forth. Ultimately, I enjoyed the story and its insightfulness.

"The Barn" -Kensey

Getting the wind knocked out of you, a pain we have all suffered. The way you grasp for air through coughing and clasping her hands across your chest. Falling off the monkey bars, caught by the wood-chips in the play ground or tripping over your other left food in the middle of line dancing in grade school. The way Omen gives description to the characters through imagery like in the line that says "I take pleasure in the way my stomach feels if I nearly lose my balance. it shows she isn't scared of taking a risk and her sense of pride. Omen shows her competitive side when talking about wanting to out do her brother. She also has a lack of confidence and need for exception from her brothers as they taunt her. Anne-Marie becomes somewhat narcissistic when she begins question herself, "How can I tell her? I know enough about death to know that breathing is life. If I couldn't breathe, I must have been dead. The essay close well with ending in the barn, a circled story helps reiterate what the story was about.

RWYATT's blog #1: Long Overdue

This story is one of surprise, it is an experience that triggers emotion just like what we talk about in class. Something simple seemingly insignificant triggers a whirlwind of emotions that compels one to do something, in this case speak out, against generalities of misinformed hatred. This author's point of view is like saying that Red Cross volunteers are murdering thousands, and taking control of nations for oil, because they are American and that's what Americans do. It is a very understandable piece especially because of the recent goings on in the world. The big question of this piece is where does the lack of voice problem fit in with the big picture. There has been many many lawsuits about discrimination in all senses and it is the American way to speak out on wrong doings. Obviously the author wasn't from America but still this is where it is being read and contexted. Lastly, I say that this essay went from specific to way too broad near the ending, it is one thing to call out injustices, but violence in general is too broad classify in this essay, it goes too deep too fast.

Erika Blog#1 The Barn

Ok, well i just finished reading the essay of the barn. I really didn't think much of it at the begining, it didn't grab my attention at the beginning. Then getting more into it it got more interesting. I like how the author adds lots and lots of details. I think it awesome how i could see a picture in my mind when reading the essay. But what was like freaked out when she said she thought she died. Like whoa!I thought how at end she didn't want to do anything risky because she knows she could die. I learned something while reading this, now when writing my essay i can tell and show a story and not just talk. But overall i think that this essay was well written and hopefully our essays will sound something like this.

Brittani's Blog#1: The Barn

OK... well I just finished reading The Barn and it turned out to be pretty interesting. I mean when I first started reading the story, I thought that it was going to be boring, but the author fooled me. The fact that the child thought that they were dead took me by surprise, but then again they were very young and kids at that age really don't understand. In other news, I like how this author writes the story like they are speaking to you in person. It's very understandable. In my opinion this story/essay is a great example of how our personal essays should flow. What do you guys think? Hit me up!!!!!!!

keyanna jackson blog #1 response to readings

OK well what i got from chapter one and two is that is is okay to make some mistakes and not hold to yourself back from limitations of your writing. It is also about how the writing you are doing is showing who you are and how you can show your personality in the story or essay. Also you learn that be playful but not so playful that you lose focus of what you are doing. the one thing is how can you voice yourself and still maintain a academic paper. I mean do you use your kind of language to keep the voice or do you use regular grammar but use your style of writing that really appeals to you. It is something that i have struggled with because the fact is i am used to writing in a 5 paragraph format. Also is chapter 2 it talks about how reading is a key good writing. You need to reflect on the reading and also challenge the thing that you are reading. Also pick what really interested you and what you thought was surprising. also the essay i am looking for is the personal essay. i need to let people know that i do have problems and also voice my opinion on certain things. Now I will discuss the barn. The barn was pretty good! i liked how she discussed how she felt and how she showed her surroundings. She funny though! so yea i got that your personal essay has to to be very descriptive!

Luis' Blog #1: Previous Readings and The Barn

Throughout this entire textbook I feel like the author, Ballenger, is talking directly to me. I hope I am not the only one that feels this way. Although I may not be able to challenge Ballenger in his many theories on writing and reading in inquiry, I do like the way he is presenting them. I makes it relatable, puts it in a certain situation that anyone can relate to. He is teaching that one should not be afraid to make mistakes while writing; DON'T BE PERFECT! I feel that he is making sure that the voices we may have lost will be found once again through writing without fear of judgement or ridicule from the reader.I love how he provides rhetorical questions thorughout the entire text to help us understand the point he is trying to make. In chapter 4 on the first few sentences of the paragrah, he provided a good way for us to comprehend a personal essay. He creatively said that a personal essay is basically a self-portrait and only provides the truth or part of a truth. But as we continue to write we will begin to see and learn something about ourselves that wasn't known before. One thing that I loved about this textbook is how he somehow, an a very effecient and easy way to understand, that images, writing and reading with inquiry are all the same. They don't start off with an answer, but a question. I am really liking how this guy is presenting these ideas, its like having a friend talk to you; very enjoyable.
In "The Barn", I like how it feels like a conversation between the author and me. It was amazing the way she described everything I could picture it, I could clearly see what was going on. Besides that, I could relate because I remember the first time the wind was knocked out of me. Analytically, I feel it was "deep", because at the end she no longer wanted to do risky things, she understood that she could die. Its so chilling to me.

Sample Blogs

Here are some examples of the kinds of critical thinking and questioning you should demonstrate in your own blog posts...


Sample Blog #1 (courtesy of Kelly Cameron):
In “Long Overdue,” by Naomi Shibab Nye begins and ends her essay with a figure of a gardener, hired to clean up her neglected yard. Because Nye’s essay is about the prejudice faced by people of Arab descent, her decision to use the gardener, who she describes as being “large and blond as a Viking” (99), as a bookend of sorts is a curious one. How does Nye’s inclusion of the gardener function rhetorically? In keeping with Nye’s poetical style, she uses strong images throughout her text, without offering a straightforward explanation of what they mean; the gardener seems to function as one of these images. Of her neglected yard, he says, “Long overdue” (100). His words come to have particular meaning for Nye, who feels that she is “long overdue” in addressing the prejudice she faces as a Palestinian. However, when she closes her essay, she uses the gardener to suggest that sometimes words cannot suffice: “The gardener laid the stones. He cut the trees back. He turned over the soil around the plants so their roots could breathe. He used no language doing it” (102). It is my opinion that the gardener is some kind of metaphor. Nye must use him as an important symbol, as she opens and closes her essay by discussing him. While this may not appear to be a very successful rhetorical device because the reader might have trouble figure out her intention, it does force the reader to keep thinking about what it means and supply his or her own interpretations.

Student Sample Blog (KC):
When reading Henry James’ Turning of the Shrew, I kept questioning the credibility of the governess as a storyteller. Were there really ghosts or was it a figment of her wild imagination? Who is the reader to believe about the ghosts, the two young, devious children as presented through the governess’ eyes or the governess herself who leaves the reader with some feelings of ambiguity concerning her character? Throughout the story, I found myself wavering back and forth between the feeling that the governess was mad and the feeling that she was telling the truth. The part that puzzled me most was the end of the story. The two ways I read the ending were one, that Mile’s heart stopped beating because of the so-called dispossession and the other was that the governess smothered Miles. The last few paragraphs may have revealed some new information that would leave my reaction to the story leaning in a certain direction. The line that disturbs me the most is when the governess asks Miles “Whom do ye mean by he?” Miles replies “Peter Quint- you devil!” Is Mile’s calling Peter Quint a devil or is he just using “you devil” as a term for the governess’ stupidity in failing to see who he was talking about?