TOW #13: WWF (Visual Text)

          The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) is the world's leading non-profit conservation organization. Their primary goal as an organization is to combine global reach with a foundation in science, involve action at every level from local to global, and of course to ensure the delivery of innovative solutions to meet the needs of people and nature across the world. Or, in layman's terms, to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats on the environment. In order to achieve this goal, the WWF relies heavily on the sponsorship and support from the common citizen and it is for this reason that the majority of their advertisements are geared toward the general public. This ad in particular is used to demonstrate the harsh effects of deforestation, showcasing its impact on the wildlife in an area. Through the use of symbolism and contrasting color palettes the WWF ad is able to successfully bring forth an emotional response from the audience, causing a reconsideration of deforestation and an ultimate demand for change.
         The true genius in this ad comes from its masterful use of symbolism. In showing the cluster of trees in the shape of lungs, the ad symbolically represents the life of the forest and corresponding wildlife. So, with this comparison made, the effects of deforestation are made much more powerful -- showing the death that it causes. In that sense, the contrasting colors of the various hues of brown against the hues of green also create a powerful image for onlookers. This stark difference in colors make it clear how different the brown depicts a sense of death and destruction. It is the four words at the bottom which serve as the final call to action for the audience of the image. The words, "before it's too late" make it clear that the WWF wants those who see this image to make a change and to end the death of the forest. Ultimately, it is these four simple words that make the point of the ad crystal clear and cause a stir in anyone who looks upon it. It is for this reason that this ad is so successful, because it is able to call to the emotions of its audience.

TOW #12: The Elegant Universe (IRB)

          Written in response to his major success with his theories in numerous published scientific magazines The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene provides a comprehensive, though strictly non-technical, assessment of string theory and its shortcomings. In doing so, it also takes a unique perspective on what scientific discovery is truly about and how this relates to the expectations we have toward our own capabilities -- something which he refers to as the "ultimate theory". It was this amazing insight which ultimately made the book a finalist for the non-fiction Pulitzer prize in 2000. Though the book begins on a primarily scholastic subject, it quickly evolves to something much more in depth and thought provoking as the work continues. Greene's success most heavily falls in the fact that he tells such a topic in an almost narrative form, one which is very unlikely given the subject matter. He is most effective in his use of colloquial diction to describe the mysterious of the universe to the "average man".
          Beginning with a brief consideration of basic physics, the book concentrates on the major conflicts regarding the study. Greene establishes a historical context for string theory as something that could someday become a necessary means of integrating the probabilistic world of particle physics and deterministic Newtonian physics of the macroscopic world. And yes, as Greene himself admits, "this is just as complicated as it sounds" (Greene 45). This concession of its difficulty is one of the many things that makes the book such an enjoyable and easy book to read. Greene continue this colloquial throughout the rest of the chapters to easily relate to audience members. This book, probably better than any others I've read, best relates its scientific work to the average and everyday lives of its audience, only furthering its discussion on the common man.

TOW #11: The Art Of Dying

       Written as an editorial in The Guardian, the emotionally charged article, "The Art of Dying", takes a unique look into the work of famous physician, neurologist, and best selling author Oliver Sacks, a man who successfully revolutionized the way scientific case studies were told. Following the announcement of Dr.Sacks' terminal cancer, the author describes, in much detail, the emotions of finding out the misfortune of such an influential man while simultaneously exploring the lasting legacies of his life (and death) on the science community. The author of the article, Ranjana Srivastava, does this most effectively through the use of many difference anecdotes, describing her own time as a physician and how Sacks had inspired her in her work. This use of these anecdotes serve to bring an emotional feel to the writing and convince the audience, assuredly other fans of Sack's work, of the very thing that sacks himself believes -- that his death should be seen as a way to remember his accomplishments and that there truly is value in embracing our mortality.
        Like much of its body, the article begins with an anecdote. The author tells of her feeling when it was first announced that Dr. Oliver Sacks, her idol, had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, discussing the immediate distress that she felt as a "stab through the heart" (3). She is recalls "a former patient who came into the hospital dying of liver failure and metastatic bowel cancer" (5) and begins to tell of the struggle she felt to break the news of her terminal condition. It was at this point that the work from Oliver Sacks had inspired her most, and taught her how to treat people, not just conditions. In a similar fashion, it was the words from Sacks himself who was able to bring her comfort, "like the genial, grandfather-figure he is, he reassured us, oncologist and all, that he still felt intensely alive" (5).  Srivastava ends her article with similar message, exploring the numerous works done by Sacks and expressing the extreme gratitude she felt toward him. She believes, as many still do, that Sacks did what other biological scientists were afraid to do. He taught what it meant to be human and frail.

TOW #10 Gold's Gym Advertisement (Visual)

     Gold's Gym is a well known and nationally recognized American gym that has been around for about 50 years, first opening its doors to the public in May of 1965. To celebrate its successful achievement in longevity, and ultimately to showcase their "legacy of strength", Gold's Gym began its "growing stronger together" campaign in the beginning of 2015. This campaign focused primarily on the introduction of the gym to new clients and began a strong push for new members. As a result of this new campaign the following ad was published in many fitness magazines across the nation. The simplicity of this advertisement is what makes it so successful, utilizing strong contrasting colors and a juxtaposition of contrasting images to depict the effect of their gym in hopes of compelling new people to join. 

      The most eye catching part of this image is the use of bold black letters across a bright yellow backdrop. These colors are not only successful in drawing in attention due to their brightness, but also in serving as an extension of their own product since black and yellow are the colors of the gym. Due to the intensity of these colors, this ad immediately stands out and leaves a lasting impression for readers. However, the most eye catching, and relevant to the point of the ad is the use of contrasting images to represent letters. The way that the two beginning images are positioned makes them appear to take an "A" shape, and because of this, spell the word "FAT" in bold letters. This word corresponds to the emotional response brought forth when viewing the two images of overweight men and brings an ultimately negative connotation to the entire idea. By contrast, the bottom image not only displays a man who is obviously in better shape, but is positioned in such a way so that his body appears to make an "I" shape. With this, the last word appears to be "FIT" rather than "FAT". It this way, the ad implicitly showcases the the positive effects of the gym, making a man (and his corresponding word) go from fat to fit. 

TOW #9: Dumb Kids' Class

         Mark Bowden, a veteran writer for the monthly journal The Atlantic, often focuses his writing on the societal repercussions -- or possible repercussions --  of various political decisions within the country. His essay, Dumb Kids' Class, is no exception to this tradition. Following the presidential consideration of the 'No Child Left Behind' policy by the Obama administration (one which ultimately resulted in no change) Bowden published this article giving a unique perspective to education in this country. Telling of his early childhood in which he was placed in the so-called "dumb classes" before being promoted to the higher level classes, Bowden explores the idea of how early influences affect how children view themselves in the future. Through a satirical description of his time spent in the "dumb" class, strongly facilitated by his use of ironic statements, Bowden intends to show his audience -- the voting class citizen of America who could have a say in the consideration of the policy (at least theoretically) -- that categorizing children at an early age can be dangerous as it is something which remains with the child for life and often results in a parochial outlook toward ones abilities.
          By utilizing ironic statements to describe his childhood experience Mark Bowden successfully creates a humorous tone to his article, accentuating his idea that even with good intentions, the categorizing of students harbors negative results. Bowden begins this style with his description of "the invaluable lessons of the dumb classes" (45) which consisted of avoiding the "spit pit" (44) and how to draw blood without too much injury to yourself. By describing such lessons as "invaluable" and essentially the most important to such a class, Bowden shows how little emphasis was placed on a group of children who were considered academically inept. Bowden directly addresses this fact, stating that "children are exquisitely attuned to the way adults size them up, so there was never any mystery about where anyone stood" (30). In this way, he explains that it is these influences which ultimately lead to children who do not see any more worth than where they were placed. Most powerfully, and what brings the most success to his article, is his use of a similar ironic statement at the end, stating "It’s well and good to enjoy the world’s esteem, I learned, but better still to be underestimated" (54). This ending concludes his idea with the final thought that many children placed in these "dumb classes" are not expected to do anything exceedingly important in the future, and this idea is what leads them down that path precisely.

IRB Intro #2: The Elegant Universe

For my second independent reading I decided to read, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. As far as subject descriptions go, the title itself is pretty self-explanatory. This book details the many misconceptions and misunderstandings regarding the current explanation for the happens of the universe -- known as String Theory. With this book author Brian Greene attempts to relate this scientific theory to the human struggle and desire to find what he describes as an "ultimate theory". It was this aspect that truly drew me in to the book. It is not simply a study of the universe, but rather, of the human beings that live within it.

TOW #8 Survival of the Sickest pt. 2 (IRB)

              In completion of Survival of the Sickest, it becomes clear that the initial purpose revealed through the first few chapters is indeed the primary purpose of the book in its entirety. As previously mentioned in an earlier post, Dr. Sharon Moalem's goal in writing such a text is to change the way people view diseases and essentially eradicate the parochial views that correlate with such ideas. To do so, Moalem examines the causes of many common diseases (the latter part of the book dedicated to the diabetes and anemia), tracing their origins and consequently formulating probable reasons for their prevalence to this day. Such an idea that detrimental ailments could somehow prove to be helpful for survival requires an entire reversal of mindset for most individuals. This, in the truest sense, is Moalem's objective. In causing a reconsideration of ideas that many consider "obvious" Moalem extends his message to a further audience -- those outside the medical field.
               The previous post identified appeals to logo, satirical humor and simple diction as Dr. Sharon Moalem's successful techniques in writing. However, after finishing the book, it became obvious that the actual art in writing factored into the success of the purpose. Examples of this "art" in language are seen in his use of repetition and isolation of paragraphs. Toward the end of the book, Moalem utilizes repetition of the phrase "we will know". In repeating this phrase, Moalem successfully gives strength to the meaning of the idea of knowledge. Knowledge is one of the primary motifs present in the book. It is used to facilitate the idea that knowledge is responsible for the outlook of life. In addition, his separation of his paragraph such as "this is true" at the end of his chapters adds emphasis and meaning to his ideals. In this way, Dr. Sharon Moalem's book was extremely successful in accomplishing his purpose.

TOW #7: First Kill the Witches. Then, Celebrate Them (Non-fiction)

               Published in the New York Time's editorial pages, the article First Kill the Witches. Then, Celebrate Them by Stacy Schiff explores the origins of one our country's favorite holidays: Halloween. Especially fitting for this time of the year, Schiff's article looks into the causes of a holiday that essentially celebrates objects which have historically been looked down upon. In her exploration of such an evolution, Schiff speaks to the flaws of American culture, negating it as being especially superficial in its ideals and prone to make mockery of past tragedies. She utilizes a variety of different rhetorical devices in order to achieve such a purpose, the most prominent being her use of situational irony and satire. Allowing her to add an element of humor to her article, these devices are exceptionally successful at bringing the true purpose of the article to fruition.
            Motivated by the fall weather and the coming of such a beloved holiday season, Stacy Schiff decided to take a look into the history of Halloween, primarily focusing on the evolution of witches in American culture. She begins by sharing the findings of her interviews with residents of Salem Massachusetts about witches. Such an interview demonstrates Schiff's use of situational irony within her text to facilitate the meaning to be taken away from the article. The interview showcases a dramatic lack of knowledge toward the historic Salem witch trials, ultimately allowing Schiff to argue her point further. However, with this all being said, Schiff also utilizes the humorous element of satire to keep her article from sounding too serious. She not only describes the ironic elements of Halloween but also the what it demonstrates about American culture, in a comedic fashion. Such a strong control of language is was truly marks success in Schiff's article by allowing her to point out the issues with one of America's holidays without placing blame on the practice itself.

TOW #6: Ad Promoting Rear View Camera (Visual Text)

       

                 In 2012, Toyota released their first ever Prius car with added rear view camera. It was an all new design for the time and was congruently hailed for its added safety benefits. Soon after its release date, this ad, and ones very similar to it, were published across the United States as a clever way to promote the Toyota company's new Prius car. It is easy to infer that the intended audience for such a visual text were any drivers considering buying a new car. Going of that knowledge, the purpose of such a visual is then revealed. With this ad, the Toyota company hoped to persuade such consumers to consider buying their car over competitors due to the added safety features. The ad was especially successful as an advertisement due to its subtle humor, facilitated by allusions to traditional advertising slogans, as well as an appeal to pathos and logos which added a more personal element for its audience.

                 Upon first view of the advertisement, it is the infamous slogan "as seen on TV" which sticks out most. It is also what is most telling to the purpose of the visual. These four words serve to poke fun at traditional advertising techniques as well as tell the audience what their new car offers. Essentially, it depicts the images that may possibly be seen through the rear view camera, allowing viewers to infer what tragedies would be avoiding in seeing such things. By utilizing the image of a young toddler, the visual also strongly appeals to pathos in showing an emotional pull toward the innocence of childhood. This is also what serves as a strong appeal to logos. By not directly stating what is being depicted within the image, it allows the audience to infer the logical implications of not being able to view the image of the young child. Overall, it was this intelligent use of rhetorical devices that allowed the advertisers to accomplish their purpose. 

TOW #5: The Forest Unseen, April 8th: Xylem (non-fiction)

           In his book, The Forest Unseen, biologist and professor David Haskell tracts the happenings of one square meter of forest throughout the duration of an entire year. It is through the lens of this square meter of forest that Haskell is able to draw fundamental conclusions about the synergy of life on this planet and create a dynamic understanding of the interactions of all life on earth -- human life included. In this particular chapter, as the title indicates, Haskell takes a particular look at the xylem of plants; the vascular tubes within plants that allow for the transfer of water and sugars. He takes a unique perspective at such a topic, intertwining it with its implications to other life processes, all of which leave a lasting impact on the reader, however, it is not simply what is being said that makes this book so successful; it is the way with which it is said. Through the use of powerfully poetic syntax and insightful extended metaphors, Haskell is able to inform the general public about the biological systems which they themselves are involved.
          What makes this book different from many of its kind is Haskell's anapestic syntax, which allows him to tell his story of biological significance in a way that is most aesthetically pleasing -- a combination of poetry and prose. This unique syntax to such a topic is seen in the breakup of his paragraphs, leaving lines such as "the forest lives" (Haskell 70) in separate lines as a way to add emphasis. His use of extended metaphors are another branch of his writing style that add strength to his work. These extended metaphors are seen in his description of spring awakening in the forest as being, "like a tide rising" and then continuing the metaphor to describe how "the upward surge floods the mountain side with a sense of renewal" (Haskell 71). This characteristic, which is certainly more prominent in poetic works, is what give his writings value to his audience. Like famed biologist before him, Rachel Carson, Haskell takes a new perspective to scientific writing, opening it up to a much broader audience. He is extremely successful in doing so, with his greatest dexterity being his ability to avoid simply telling facts about forest, but  rather, his ability to tell its narrative.
     

TOW #4: Survival of the Sickest (IRB)

            In his classes at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Sharon Moalem's main goal is to completely alter the current understanding of illness for his students. It wasn't until 1990, during the initial emergence of evolutionary medicine as a field of study, that Moalem decided to publish these revolutionary ideas on illness into a complete and coherent piece of literature. This work, titled, Survival of the Sickest, examines the reasons for many conditions that are diseases today and why he believes they actually gave a leg up in what he calls "survival sweepstakes". In Survival of the Sickest, Moalem takes the fundamental idea taught in his classes and generalizes it to wider perspective, expanding it past the science field and thus to a greater audience -- the general public. His true goal in writing this book is not simply to provoke a new way of thinking towards biological sciences (though he does make a point to prove why it is necessary in such an area of study) but, rather, to inspire a new way of thinking in all areas of life in order to end parochialism.
              Though I've only completed half of the book, a significant amount of rhetorical devices utilized by Dr. Sharon Moalem have already become apparent. So far in the book, Moalem has successfully used appeals to logos, satirical humor, and simple diction in order to form a connection with audience members as a way to convince them of the negatives associated with parochial thinking. His appeals to logos include many references to statistics taken from The World Health Organization and a vast amount of medical studies. These statistics then serve to give numerical value to the points Moalem makes, giving logical reasoning to negate simple, linear thought. His humor is utilized in order to create an enjoyable flow to his writing and effectively overcome the negative connotation toward scientific writing. Most effective, however, is his use of the vernacular to describe fairly complex scientific concepts to the everyday person. This simple choice of diction allows for audience members to understand arguments being presented. It is this break from traditional didactic writing that makes the book so successful in achieving its purpose.

TOW #3: Advice to a Black Schoolgirl by W.E.B Du Bois

           William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (more commonly known as W.E.B. Du Bois) was an American historian, sociologist, civil rights activist, author and editor. Due to his education at Fisk University and Harvard (where he was the first African American to earn his doctorate), as well as his extensive work for civil equality, Du Bois is still considered by many to be the most influential black intellectual of the first half of the twentieth century. This great influence allowed Du Bois to inspire many young Americans -- particularly those of African lineage -- and what ultimately compelled him to write this letter to a young black student who, despite being exceptionally gifted, refused to study because she felt she would "never have a chance to use her knowledge". Given this reason, the immediate audience for the letter appears to be, simply, the black schoolgirl to whom it is addressed. However, because there is a lack of specificity to the student's particular situation and rather, general advice to all black youth, it can be seen that this is the true audience for the letter. This audience then lends itself to what the overall purpose of the letter is; a way to inspire all black posterity to aspire for greater things through a proper education.
           In W.E.B. Du Bois' letter to a black schoolgirl, his utilization of various rhetorical devices such as hypophora, allusions, and a strong appeal to logos, allows him to successfully achieve his purpose through an in depth analysis of the effects of education on black youth. Through his opening questions, Du Bois is able to outline the meaning of each paragraph in the letter, addressing how each individual part contributes to the idea of advancement of the black community. His use of differing allusions then go on to prove these points, referencing successful black Americans, most notably the likes of Booker T. Washington. Finally, his strong appeal to logos, seen through his data concerning "colored" Americans, appeals to the logic that success is only achieved through proper education. The use of these rhetorical devices are ultimately what serve to achieve his purpose.

TOW #2: Ad Against Drinking and Driving (Visual Text)

       FIAT automobiles is an Italian manufacturing company which has gained great popularity in the United States within the past years. This success has put the company in immediate competition with rival automakers, causing a partitioning of traditional car buying clientele. For this reason, greater expenses have been put forth in regard to advertising from both FIAT and similar, contemporaneous companies. In short, most car companies have begun to pull out all the stops when it comes to advertising, which explains the ultimate purpose of this visual text: to convince readers to buy a FIAT car.  The purpose of this ad is made clear with one simple symbol at the bottom right of the picture -- the FIAT logo. Without this logo, one could easily argue that the visual text serves as a public service announcement against the dangers of drinking and driving. However, with the emblem ever so present, that purpose is countermanded. The incorporation of this trademark makes it clear that the creator of this image wants its audience, car drivers, to associate the emotional appeal to the FIAT car company and, in doing so, influence them to choose their brand. 

       In this particular ad, two beer cans portray the differences in judgement between a driver who is under the influence and a driver who is not, with the simple captions (though in Spanish): "now you see it", "now you don't". In alluring its audience, the text is successful; in achieving its purpose, the text is extremely successful. It utilizes multiple rhetorical strategies, most heavily relying on the juxtaposition of the two contrasting images to accomplish the purpose. Through these juxtaposed pictures, the visual text is able to appeal to logos, implicitly depicting the idea that drunk driving causes fatal accidents; a conclusion drawn only through logical perception. The illustration also relies very heavily on its appeal to pathos. By depicting a kid riding his bike, the perfect epitome of childhood innocence, the text brings forth rather poignant feelings toward the implication of a fatal crash. 

TOW #1: Remarks by the President in Eulogy for Reverend Clementa Pinckney (Speech)

          The mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shook America to its core on June 17, 2015. Dubbed the "Charlestown church shooting", the act of domestic terrorism on the historic church killed a total of nine church-goers, including senior pastor and state senator Clementa C. Pinckney. The tragic incident stunned the nation and caused the entire country to reconsider the deep-rooted racial issues that have, for so long, remained clandestine in our society. Considering the circumstances, it could be argued that no one could be more suited to address such an issue of racial animosity than the first African American president of the United States -- Barack Obama. In his eulogy for the reverend, President Obama discusses the racial prejudices which have been "kept in silence" all these years, highlighting the implications of our country's old habits on our society.
           Written as a remark to the friends and family of Pinckney, the true meaning of the eulogy pertains to the nation as a whole, serving as a wake up call to the unacceptable actions which have been successively dismissed. His colloquial tone and anecdotal structure make it very easy for his message to resonate with this audience, allowing for every person to feel a connection to his words. Through this masterful control of rhetorical strategies, such as repetition of phrase (particularly, that of "amazing grace") President Obama creates an almost lyrical speech that continuously reiterates the idea that the nation is built of individuals together, not apart in racial discrimination. His rhetorical appeal also allow him to build a strong ethos with the American people, reminding everyone that he too is an American citizen. For this reason, the speech remains an undeniable success. He, though his speech, is able to get Americans to recognize the flaw with our view on racial prejudice and what we, as a nation, can do to fix it. Unique to this particular piece, his ability to achieve this goal can be measured in the actual actions taken place after its delivery, such as the removal of confederate flags from all government buildings.

IRB #1 Intro: Survival of the Sickest

For my first independent reading book of the year I have chosen to read the novel, Survival of the Sickest by Sharon Moalem and Peter Satonick. Evolutionary biology, the main topic discussed within the novel, was what first drew me in to this particular work. This book was discussed very briefly last year during my biology class and ever since then I've wanted to know more about the subject. The book itself is a collection of case studies, which utilize scientific data to prove and support their respective hypotheses. In reading this non-fiction book, I hope to further expand my knowledge of biological functions and even, as the subtitle suggests, see the connections between disease and longevity.

"The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

In 1971 Lewis Thomas published an article believed to be a precursor to the Modern Scientific Essay. Unique in its style and wit, Thomas’ paper, The Lives of a Cell, argues that the uniformities connecting life on earth are in fact simple, comparing it to the likeness of a cell. Although first appearing in The New England Journal of Medicine, and certainly seen, due to its excessive scientific argot, as an essay written for those in the biological or medical field, Thomas’ essay was able to transcend the boundaries between doctor and layman by providing an insightful look into the human condition, successfully attracting an audience far beyond any single profession. Doubtless, this was the intent of Thomas in his essay -- to blend old anthropological thought with new biological fact, to entwine human feeling with scientific reason, to compare the inconceivably massive to the inconceivably minute, but most importantly, to inform mankind about our arrogance toward our role on this planet. To prove this, Thomas argues numerous follies in our understanding of how the world works, most eminent being the fact that, contrary to belief, “man is embedded in nature” (Thomas 358).
Having degrees from both Princeton and Harvard, Lewis Thomas is nothing if not scholarly, yet the lack of pedantic tone in the writing is due to his analytical and at times satirical style. A style which is most rewarding in that it gives Thomas the ability to reason back and forth with his readers about the life in which we live, oftentimes poking fun at the narcissistic pedestals we’ve placed ourselves upon. Perhaps his greatest strength, however, lies in his ability to personify the world around us. His personification of biological components helps to add fresh perspectives and to bring forth ideas of our equivalence with nature rather than superiority. For this very reason I see that Lewis Thomas has certainly accomplished his purpose, for surely an essay that could be written for few but appeal to all could inform mankind that we don’t rule all of earth’s functions, but rather, only a few.

Endosymbionts
(Illustration by Jennifer E. Fairman)
This illustration quite clearly depicts the comparison of Earth to a single cell that Lewis Thomas makes in his essay. Like in the essay, the Earth is seen to be a powerful cell while the rest of life on Earth like the endosymbionts which are found within it -- part of the cell and necessary to its growth, but ultimately independent.

"The Creation Myths of Cooperstown" by Stephen Jay Gould

Scientific magazine, Natural History, is well known for chronicling the discoveries made by various science centers, so it is not surprising that paleontologist, science historian, and evolutionary biologist, Stephen Jay Gould had his essay published within its pages. Cleverly disguised as a dissertation to point out the inaccuracies regarding the beginnings of baseball, its true roots deal with humans and our fascination with origins. In his essay, The Creation Myths of Cooperstown, Gould compares the tale of the Cardiff Giant to the Abner Doubleday conception of baseball by citing the similarities in why they were fabricated. As a desire that traces back to our basic inclinations, Gould insists that the abundance of myths about beginnings is not coincidental. He argues that the reason we prefer creation myths to evidence of evolutionary development lies in the fact that “creation myths identify heroes and sacred places” (Gould 530), giving meaning to our otherwise mundane world. This, in fact, is the main purpose of the essay: to explore the human yearning to know how things began and in doing so, broaden the scope of thought for readers. 

Of all the parts of the essay, it is Gould’s tone which is most revealing to this purpose. His colloquial writing makes the article less formal, allowing his satire to leave a lasting impression. Even with this humor though, a distinctly cynical mood is felt, confirming the particular audience for whom the writing is intended -- those who blindly believe the myths they are told. His multiple allusions to differing creation stories are among one of his most successful strategies for this audience. By providing readers with familiar areas of reference, the allusions give specific examples of paradoxical inconsistencies with creation myths. However, the main reason Gould is able to realize his purpose, in my opinion, was not due to what he said, but rather, what he didn’t say. The prime success lies in Gould’s avoidance of any mention of religion, a slippery slope considering the topic. Keeping the writing strictly secular prevented partitioning of the audience and thus a stronger impact on readers.

Sacred Ties
 (via history.com)
The picture illustrates the great reverence people of the era had for the Cardiff Giant hoax and why, though it was poorly conducted, it remains one of the most famous fakes in American history. As Stephen Jay Gould explains in his essay, the reason for the strong emotional ties to the giant fake (literally) lies in the fact that it brought a sense of sacredness to our own origin on this planet as descendants of giants.

"The Form a Poem Makes" by Robert Frost

Robert Frost was an American poet who, having earned four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry, remains one of the highest regarded of the twentieth century. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Frost received critical acclaim during his lifetime for his realistic depictions of life through his poems. It was this success that, by 1939, allowed him to publish his essay The Figure A Poem Makes as a preface to his own collection of poems aptly named, Collected Poems. Undoubtedly, the intended audience for this particular essay were fans of poetry, allowing Frost to assume that readers would understand the rhythm and flow of poetic writing and were willing, much like in reading a poem itself, to learn something they were unaware they were unaware of. Indeed, this stands as one of the main goals of the essay; to help readers, or rather, all aficionados of poetry, best appreciate poetic works by providing an explanation as to the way well crafted and “sound” (Frost 176) poetry is created.

The Figure A Poem Makes allows Frost, through prose, the opportunity to analyze the human infatuation with poetry. In order to support his interpretations a myriad of arguments are made, the most notable being the notion that all poems are used to leave lasting wisdom for both the reader and the writer. Though admittedly expected from the likes of Robert Frost, the mastery of rhetoric in this essay produces a distinct reinforcement of this main idea, which, in my opinion, allows Frost to successfully accomplish his purpose. Through the use of parallel structure one is able to grasp the correlation between author and reader, through the inclusion of oxymorons the validation that poetry cannot be logically explained, but perhaps most potent are Frost’s analogies. Whether comparing poetry to love or “a piece of ice on a hot stove” (Frost 178) his comparisons make the writing more vivid, thought provoking, and meaningful. It is through this cadenced writing that Frost best explains how an exceptional poem should be constructed and, consequently, how it should be enjoyed.

The Road Taken
(painting by Dave Cutler)
This painting depicts the metaphorical "journey" of poetry that Robert Frost refers to in his essay; one that is new to both the reader and the writer. In this journey, it is the writer who leads the way for the reader down a path that neither knows the ending to. In this way the reader and the writer are emotionally connected through the poem.