Prompt 2

This poem "Self Evident" was written by Ani DiFranco, a musician who has chosen to be independent of major labels according to her website's biography. Since it was published on the internet and written in all lower caps, it appeals to young people. Especially young people who are not fans of the government since the poem criticizes it so harshly. The imagery of the towers falling effects the emotions of the reader which would be pathos. Saying the president stole the election also rouses feelings. Ethos is also used in the end of the poem; the author calls for the reader to not let the government get away with using the tragedy of September 11th as a tool in their plan, appealing to the ethics of the audience. I find this rhetorical appeal to be somewhat effective, it appeals to my emotions but the logos of the poem is lacking. Comparing the CIA and KGB is a little too overzealous for me. The medium influences my opinion, I read the poem instead of listening to it. If I had listened, the poem probably would have had more influence on me because the voice is more persuasive than text. This analysis was different because different questions are used to examine the rhetoric of the poem.

Prompt #1

My ideal American high school student is a white, blonde female cheerleader who lives in the affluent suburb of Dublin named Lilah Moore. White Americans often do not face the prejudice that other races face and being rich further compounds the advantages. Lilah’s family is the very picture of perfect with her father being a doctor, her mother works in public relations and her brother is a lovable young scamp. Lilah is interested in tutoring urban kids and other volunteering activities because it is highly regarded to be involved in bettering the community and world. This shows that she is generous and not selfish. She is a cheerleader because cheerleaders are often popular within high schools.

All of the music I chose for Lilah was from a list of the most popular music of the moment. The television shows are also popular among teens. Popular music and television shows show that she is in touch with the culture of her peers. Lilah’s favorite books are a mix of highly regarded literature and some of the more popular simplistic stories. Being intelligent is a great boon in this world. Regarding her political views, she is democratic because it is the foremost political view in her area. The quotes that Lilah likes are from Grey’s Anatomy, Julius Caesar, and the Bible. This is a mix of the contemporary, the classics, and religion. Lilah is Christian because it is the most popular religion in this country and being religious is seen as ideal by society. All of the choices I made for Lilah are what I believe that society in general exalts. She is a mix of popularity, teen culture, and the expectations of adults. Lilah is society's ideal, the popular and selfless beautiful teen with the seemingly perfect life.