"I Know Lots of Words"... But Do They Have Meaning?

     Politicians use many means to set themselves above other candidates, the most notable is their speeches.  However, there are many descriptions and empty promises within these speeches, so sometimes the most unlikely sources, such as comedians like John Oliver, supply the most accurate information.  Often times, the truth is revealed through outside parties who are not seeking to perennially gain from the election of one candidate over another.  For example, John Oliver exposed Trump for his lies and ridiculous statements without telling the viewers who to vote for instead of Trump.  The most hard hitting information is gained through believe who analyze one person; Oliver never said who to vote for instead of Trump, just as long as it was not him.

     In this Presidential election, Donald Trump is either viewed as either a complete joke or an ideal president.  Trump's power comes from his confidence in himself and all the success he claims to have had.  However, the only proof for the true amount of his success comes from Trump himself.  Within his speeches, he constantly brags of his success in business, but never truly discusses how he plans to fix problems within the country.  His speeches consist partial truths, empty words, and outlandish proposals masked by one or two messages that many people can support.  Trump will begin by telling his supporters how wonderful they are and how stupid anyone else is.  He is able to form a connection with the crows since he makes them feel important and it makes Trump seem grateful and kind.  Trump uses repetition of short phrases that people wish to hear, such as "I will make America great again."  This is something that he says frequently, loudly, and with extreme confidence, but never does he truly say how he plans to do just that.  Building a wall will not solve all of the nations problems, but because he proposes such drastic means of change, Trump is able to appeal to a specific audience.  Repetition, drastic proposals, and the ego the precedes him make him an appealing candidate in his speeches.  He will give his family history and the story of his success in order to create a bond with the audience.  These stories make it seem as through he experiences the same things was everyone else, but is still better than them at the same time.  While Trump worked to get where he is in life, he also had many extreme advantages that everyday people do not have.  His rationale is that because he went to an Ivy League school, he "knows lots of words."  Lots of words will not solve the nations problems, but because the listeners were informed of his credentials, that is what they focus on.  Empty words lead to empty promises, which have no meaning in the end.  Similarly, Trump will propose something that everyone will support, such as better care for war veterans, then encourage the crowd to cheer.  After this, he repeats what he has already said or will randomly go off in a different direction that makes no sense.  But because the audience is still stimulated by a proposal they can stand behind, they are distracted enough to ignore the true rational within Trump's speech.  Trump's loud and boisterous personality appeals to some but repels others.

     The complete opposite of Trump, Bernie Sanders is a likable and calm man.  He get passionate about certain issues without bringing down others in the process or screaming at the top of his lungs.  This rational approach when addressing certain topics allows the listener to hear his ideas entirely, not just empty promises.  Sanders is appealing to some people since he is willing to look at different perspective than what are typical and roots for the every day citizen rather than the top one percent.  In his speeches, he discus what changes he would make and how he would enact them.  Sanders has captivated young voters since he also focuses on the needs of younger generations as well.  Because these voters hear something that directly applies to them, Sanders is able to reach out to all ages.  He discusses issues that many others shy away from and does not claim to know everything, but will bring in outside sources.  Sanders does not promote himself, the influence he has on others does that enough.  Despite this, he did call out Donald Trump and reprimanded what he was saying, but Bernie called out Trump in a way that was more rattail and logical.  Trump mocked others and only made a fool out of himself, especially since my of the things he made fun of had nothing to do with the Presidential election.  Sanders did the opposite and called out flaws in Trump's arguments and reasoning rather than his appearance or personality.  In his speeches, Sanders is more direct and prompt in what he is saying.  His clearly stated facts and ideas allow him to be more relatable and understandable than Trump.  Bernie also exposes the true root of the problems rather than blaming it on another race or religion, unlike Trump who blames all of the nations problems on immigrants.

     Trump used repetition, his "successes," and ideas that all people support in order to appeal to and gain support from different audiences.  On the other hand, Sanders utilized well thought out speech, straightforward answers, and hard hitting issues in order to attract supporters.  Both candidates are opposite from each other; Trump is loved and hated for the same reasons, as is Bernie Sanders.  

A Profound Profession

     Virginia Woolf uses her personal experiences to discuss the hardships that women face in different professions in Professions for Women.  Woolf herself is a novelist and writer who hesitated to completely dedicate herself to a male dominated work place.  When she first began writing, she would get in her own way by believing that men always had to have the upper hand.  Over time, she realized that that took away from the effectiveness of her writing and began to show true feminism in a time where it was frowned upon.
     Woolf uses many different rhetorical strategies to artistically convey a thought provoking message on her life.  She uses herself as an example for a larger picture; women holding themselves back for fear of the male reaction.  Woolf begins her account by thanking those female writers that came before her.  Fewer experiences for women are allowed in the writing field since women are only truly accepted writing for a hobby.  However, there is a path that is open to Woolf and her fellow writers that had been paved by the first brave women authors.  She describes the path she is taking as "smooth" and "regulating."  Both of these words invoke feelings of guidance and simplicity, which goes to prove that it is the image of men that gets in the way of women writers, since the path is already clear and the materials are not expensive.  The descriptive language that Woolf uses allows the reader to visualize what she is saying, and she is able to do this due to her talent as a novelist.  A novelist creates and tells stories, so her background permits her to tell a convincing and moving account.  Woolf creates another beautiful image when describing a young girl writing in her bedroom.  She describes the girl moving her pen across the paper, from left to right, as "from ten o'clock to one."  This can mean two things; the first being that it is physically the way the girl is writing, but it can also mean that she is writing for house between the times of ten o'clock all one.
     Description of simple things also create a vivd story in the reader's mind.  In my opinion, one of the most beautiful descriptions in this piece is the battle with the phantom.  This chunk of story begins by Woolf saying that a phantom would come to her while she was writing, which later became identified as an angel.  The word phantom itself brings along with it many different preconceptions.  This word is dark and scary, an unknown being, a threat, a warning, and an obstacle all combined into one.  To me, Wool's use of the phantom/ angel is the personification of the doubt that women put on themselves when going against men.  This is the angel of doubt.  All of this is taken from a single word, "phantom."  Only a truly talented novelist would be able to convey such a powerful feeling in a simple use of personification.  Woolf's word choice is able to convey such a deeper meaning.  Even the change from phantom to angel is decisive and meaningful.  An angel is meant to protect, and in a sense this angel as protecting her from the harsh opinions and reactions of men, but this protection was also inhibiting her from reaching her full potential.  The angel also casts a "shadow [with] her wings."  A shadow is something that is dark and blocks out something bright, such as the bright thoughts that young Woolf had.
     Virginia Woolf also takes a subtle dig at the fragile masculinity of men when she says that the angel tells her to "be sympathetic; be tender; flatter; deceive; use all the arts and wiles of our sex," when critiquing something from a man.  These words are all kind and delicate, as if to address something that can be easily broken or damaged.  In this case the masculinity is very fragile since they cannot handle the truth of a critique from a woman.  When Woolf finally realizes that the angel is an inhibitor, she kills it since it would eventually "pluck the heart of [her] writing."  Plucked is a quick and decisive word, and the heart can stand for truth and honesty, passion, and accuracy.  Only a true novels would be able to pack such a large amount of feeling into six words.
     Several of the things that Woolf says are still applicable today, such as, "[Women] must tell lies if they are to succeed."  This is true because men only wish to hear things that are good about themselves, not the honest answer, and since men dominate the leadership positions in man fields, women have to warp the truth in order to survive in specific professions.
     Woolf makes many decisive choices in regards to syntax and diction, revealing her skill as a novelist.  She is able to create relatable and understandable characters, such as the girl and the angel.  Virginia Woolf also sets a variety of scenes in great detail for each moment in her recollections and comparisons, such as the bedroom, the boat in the fisherman metaphor, and the house.  Many other forms of feminist writings are not as descriptive and deep, but because of her background as a novelists, she comes off as composed and collected.  In another essay we read in class, titled Bad Feminist, the author was hesitant to accept the title and all that it implied as well as the misconceptions of it.  However, without directly stating she is a feminist, she is unwavering in her belief that men and women should be on the same playing field without holding each other back.  Instead of bringing other women down, she encourages them to see their strength, ability, intelligence, and potential.  This is my favorite piece of feminist literature we have read this school year since it is both eloquent and meaningful.

Cannibalism is Always the Answer

     Never before did I ever think that someone could make child cannibalism seem like a good idea.  In his article A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift proposes that eating children would end extreme hunger and poverty, increase positive family relations, and diminish population during the time of the Irish Potato Famine.  When I first read the title, I believed it would be a bland essay on the economy or government.  This article was about the economy, but in a different way than initially perceived since it encouraged cannibalism.  However, Swift never intended for this article to be taken seriously and wrote it as satire.  Satire is the use of irony and sarcasm in order to discuss and critique society or a specific person.  By adding ethos, pathos, and logos into his argument, his satirical proposal can almost seem like a legitimate idea.
     Swift is able to appeal to ethos by using outside sources in order to make himself seem credible.  He pulls on information given to him from his American friend, making it seem as though even people outside of the country deem cannibalism a credible idea.  This American friend could potentially be a member of the Donner party, which were a group of cannibals who began to eat their own family when running out of food as they were moving west.  Since the American friend spoke from experience, stating that the food was nutritious,  Swift is established as a well informed and believable person.  He had a perennial account of the idea he was proposing, so people began to take him seriously.
      Continuously, Jonathan Swift pulls upon logos as well.  He gives specific counts, percentages, and weights.  His child cannibalism proposal seems the most logical when when displays information on the population count and how cannibalism would benefit all classes.  Swift also appeals to logic when he provides the specific numbers that reveal how the population would continue if babies were to be eaten.  20,000 children would be spared so they would become the next generation of breeders.  Because he conceders the consequences for child cannibalism, he seems logical since he does not claim that all children should be eaten.  
     Establishes a sense of community when he addresses the community as "our city of Dublin."  This provides a sense of camaraderie since the problem effects them all.  The use of "our" makes it seem as though they are in this together and the solution can only be found through cooperation among all of them, appealing to pathos.  Swift also appeals to pathos when he states that child cannibalism will also protect wives in abusive relationships.  Men will not hit their wives if there is promise of a child to eat.  Also, Jonathan Swift makes it seem as though cannibalism will end poverty and ensure that all people will live happily.  This is especially true when he claims that children between the ages of 12-14 should also be eaten.  Swift writes that these children would never have to endure the hardships of poverty, pulling on the heartstrings of the community.  The people wish to protect children from poverty, and if some children are eaten, there is some security that those who live are not impoverished.
     Because Swift appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos, his satirical writing seems plausible.  It makes it even more comedic once one is aware that he is being satirical, but if one does not know that then the argument seems crazed but logical at the same time.  I enjoyed this writing once I realized it was a false proposal, but prior to I was disturbed and confused.  

Eloquent Writing May or May Not Contain Meaning

"We love eloquence for its own sake, and not for any truth which it may utter, or any heroism may inspire."

     This quote from Thoreau states that as a society, we love eloquent language itself, not necessarily for what it is saying.  Eloquent language may not always be in regards to the truth, but because it is beautiful people enjoy it more.  Thoreau's quote not only displays his point, but it proves it as well.  I do not agree with what Thoreau is saying, since it is possible to see through someones flowery diction.  Many times when someone is giving a speech or writing, it is easy to see through someones big words to the lack of meaning behind them.  Since people are able to see through the meaningless language, no one love eloquence for its own sake.  The only time that I see people love eloquence for its own sake is in poetry.  Sometimes, poetry is beautiful and has a beautiful meaning, but other times is sounds nice but lacks actual depth.  Many politicians also use this method when asked questions and proposing ideas that they do not actually have a solution to.  By using big words, they are able to get off topic and fill u time without providing a real answer.  In the 2016 presidential election, this is especially true.  There are many issues facing our country today, and it is difficult to find a true solution, so to defend themselves many politicians will not admit that they do not know and will use eloquent language to protect their reputations.  Many legislators do not wish to show people that there are negative aspects of their discussion, so the people are left to listen to unnecessarily wordy speeches and writings to find out what their government is doing.  In a way, the people never really find out the entire truth.

     Despite the typical lack of meaning in eloquent meaning, it can inspire people.  The beautiful words stand out to people, and once people latch on to specific words it is easy to persuade them.  This reveals that eloquent language can be loved for its inspirational effects, but it can also be identified as meaningless.  In my opinion, Thoreau is both right and wrong in his thinking.  I believe he is aware of this since in his writing, he himself uses pretentious language.  This invokes a feeling within the reader but it does not always have meaning.  Much of his writing is redundant to points he makes; Thoreau will make a point,  but then restate it in flowery language over and over again.  I believe that Thoreau says, "We love eloquence for its own sake, and not for any truth which it may utter, or any heroism may inspire," to invoke further thinking.  I do not think that he intended for the quote to be factual and that he is aware that the quote can be interpreted as incorrect.

Everyone is Equal...Except for You

     The creation of the United States of America was the beginning of the promotion of power being distributed to white men.  However, these men were very hypocritical in saying that each citizen has unavailable rights, but then continuing to look down upon women and treat them as property.  The Declaration of Independence was a unanimous document stating that America wanted to be separated from Britain and why. This was written in 1776, but years later, in 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, following a similar format to the original document.
     The Declaration of Independence is a key document in the history of the United States and it was used as the bases for the Constitution in later years.  Thomas Jefferson begins the Declaration of Independence stating that if a people is unhappy, then they have the right to dissolve what oppresses them since all are united through the laws of nature as well as through God.  The most well known portion of this document is that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  However, these rights were not given to women, despite stating that each person is created equal.  It takes many years for women to gather enough support to create the Seneca Falls Convention, the beginning of the feminist movement that is still in effect today.
     Jefferson continues to go on an list all of the grievances that Britain committed upon the United States, being very specific and straightforward in what is being accuse and uses "He" to personify Britain.  Staton does the same thing in her Declaration of Sentiments, except this time it is used to point to who specifically is opressing the rights of women.  Men are the cause so men will be accused with a powerful line stating "He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable rights to the elective franchise."  In a world full of hypocrites, Elizabeth Cady Stanton speaks out, showing them how wrong they are.  The Declaration of Independence was to state independence from the reliance on Britain, but the Declaration of Sentiments was to state independence from men since women were tired of being pushed into the background.
     Due to the difference in time period that these pieces were composed, the wording is very different.  In the Declaration of Independence the word choices are very overcomplicated and difficult to read.  The Declaration of Sentiments was much easier to read, since it was written to be spoken out loud.  It was originally read at the Seneca Falls Convention on July 19, 1848.  The Seneca Falls convention was the beginning of the women suffrage movement where many notable women gathered to discuss the need for women's rights.  However, the format for each document was almost the same.  With an introduction of beliefs, then accusations of grievances by the opposing group of people who are stripping them of their rights.  Both the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments were written because a group of people had been controlling them and taking away their rights, not listening to them in important matters that applied to them.  While the men who supported the Declaration of Independence went on to oppress the women who supported the Declaration of Sentiments, both groups suffered injustices that needed to be addressed.

A Timeless Message

"Whenever Vanity, and Gaiety, a Love of Pomp and Dress, Furniture,

Equipage, Buildings, great Company, expensive Diversions, and elegant Entertainments

get the better of the Principles and Judgments of Men or Women there is no

knowing where they will stop, nor into what Evils, natural, moral, or political, 

they will lead us."

~John Adams~

     

     John Adams wrote this very longwinded and complicated sentence in a letter to his wife Abigail Adams.  Language and writing styles were very different then than they are in current times, but their correspondences with each other have the same casual feeling as an email or a text in 2016.  Despite people nowadays not using words such as "pomp and dress," or "equipage," in casual writing, the issue that the Adams couple addresses has rings of truth in the modern setting.

     When I attempted to deconstruct this quote from John Adams, I took away several messages.  However, the most prominent was that a materialistic people and society will focus on the superficial things in life which will eventually be seen as superior in the eyes of the common people, leading them down the wrong path.  People are easily influenced by those around them, causing people to value physical things that are unnecissary to every day function. Those with a copious amount of goods tend to become vain and eccentric, always wanting to show off their affluence.  These people not only look down on those with less, but people with less material wealth begin to feel jealous and desire the same "success" as the others.  Materialistic people often become the elite and powerful in societal rank and politics throughout history, and in modern times it can also be incorporated into the workplace and schools.  People who place self-worth on the amount of goods they have typically are not deserving of or suitable for a leadership possition.  It is difficult to see how others see once materialistic values take root.  There is no knowing in which direction the common people will be lead if they are not treated equally and alongside those who hold power.

     Materialistic people do not genuinly care for the success of all.  Rather, they care for their own personal gain.  These people can be seen as standoffish due to feelings of superiority as well as jealousy from the other side; or, these people can be put on a pedestal and idolised due to their success.  This power trip giveseople the ability to manipulate and falsely lead the common people into something that is not as it seems.  Many politicians, in both the time of John Adams through the Presidential Election of 2016, can be seen as the elite, materialistic, and vain.  It is difficult to find a leader that will place their own personal opinions aside to think of the betterment of all people.  Materialistic and moral do not typically coincide with each other in the sense of politics throughout history.

     Materialistic leaders will lead people to believe that their way of life is superior few to having more things to boast about.  Tangible results are placed over spiritual and emotional results.  Many people can seem to be happy on the surface, but are lacking the true sustiance of life.  A person can put up the facade of a perfect life, when in reality something is missing.  For example, a couple can be in an unhappy relationship, but stay together since they already have material happiness.  People may look put together since they have such a copious amount of things to be happy about, but lack something that truly makes life worthwhile.

     John Adams may have made is message very overcomplicated, but with some critical thinking, his message can be seen as timeless.  Materialism and vanity never go away, especially with people who are seen at the top of the pillar of success.  However, Adams sparks thinking that will lead to the realization that no one is truly happy in a society that values tangible success over anything else.  While Adams may have been writing specifically about politics at the time, his message can apply to everyday life in both the past and the present.

Richard Cory

by Edwin Arlington Robinson

Whenever Richard Cory went down town, 

We people on the pavement looked at him: 

He was a gentleman from sole to crown, 

Clean favored, and imperially slim. 

And he was always quietly arrayed, 

And he was always human when he talked; 

But still he fluttered pulses when he said, 

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked. 

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—

And admirably schooled in every grace: 

In fine, we thought that he was everything 

To make us wish that we were in his place. 

So on we worked, and waited for the light, 

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; 

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night, 

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Learning A Language Through Insults

     It is not easy to learn another language, especially to the extent of going to another country and emerging oneself among people who speak another language.  David Sedaris wrote Me Talk Pretty One Day after resuming his education by going to school in France.  The writing of this essay is slightly ironic, since Sedaris is known for being a spoken word poet and public speaker.  He "lost his intelligence" when he went to learn another language in another country, since it was difficult to even form a correct sentence.  His teacher was harsh and verbally abusive to her students and mocked them for speaking incorrectly.

     A limited vocabulary often invites controversy due to the fact that words can be misused or have a different meaning under slang.  Sedaris's teacher in France would yell at her students constantly for misusing words, and would yell insults at the students in a language they did not understand.  "Even a Fiuscrzsa Ticiwelmun knows that a typewriter is feminine," was said by the teacher one day.  I believe that the teacher upset the students on purpose.  It is hurtful to be called a name in one's native language, and even worse to be sworn at in a different language since one does not know what the insult truly means.  The teacher had a "better than thou" attitude, which then motivated students to surpass and please her in order to be perfect.  Sedaris was motivated to improve by the teachers harsh and abrasive words.

     Sedaris and his classmates were motivated to understand.  Understanding comes from hardship and difficulties, since being thrown into a situation forces one to adapt.  It does not occur all at once, but understanding, especially a language, comes over time.  It is also possible to understand other things besides facts.  For example, Sedaris began to understand his teachers teaching method.  At the end of this essay, he touches upon the feeling that comes from understanding.  It is a liberating feeling that opens ones mind to learn more.  There is a feeling that there is a whole other world out there to explore, and when one learns another language, insults and all, it really is another world and culture.  By the end of the class Sedaris was able to completely understand his teachers degrading comments fluently, providing him with a sense of pride and confidence, allowing him to speak out to against his teacher.