Documentary Viewing Part 2

Essential Question: How have modes of communication been a reflection of history and society?
This documentary displays the views of both the current youth and older generations on the 21st century youth of America. It explores these views through discussions of politics, society, and culture. By using this as the topic of the documentary, this mode of communication clearly reflects history and society of the 21st century. This film examines "history in the making" by focusing on the current generation. This generation is making history now and will continue to do so as they grow and replace the older generations. The youth is the future, so by examining them in this documentary, the film makers are contributing to and examining history and society.

Essential Question: How do modern modes of communication affect the rhetorical devices individuals have at their disposal?
Current communication, such as documentaries, allow a variety of rhetorical devices to become available. Filmmakers have the ability to touch viewers in a way that other modes of communication cannot. Documentaries allow filmmakers to use video and audio to personally inflict the thoughts and emotions they want on their viewers. There is a certain personal connection established when viewers can physically see and hear a person explaining their thoughts. There is a further impact also on the viewers opinions based on what the interviewees say since viewers can also be affected by their appearance, backgrounds, voice, etc. Modern communication opens up countless new rhetorical devices for individuals to consider.

Documentary Viewing Post 1

Our Time directed by Matthew Heineman is a documentary created by 4 college-age kids. These kids traveled across all of the lower 48 states on a mission to discover the meaning behind being the youth of America in the 21st century. The film focused on college-age kids of all different classes, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc. It also talked briefly of the image that the older generations have of the youth. It addresses most common issues, including politics, society, culture, etc.

Some of the many rhetorical devices in this documentary include:

• music: Music is used through out the film to set the mood. The music is mostly calm and relaxing, as they show images of the group traveling across the country and talking with people in all different areas. This allows the film to flow and adds an interesting element.
• images: Spread throughout the film are series of photographs of the 4 kids who were traveling across the country at many different national parks. The parks are spread across the country. Adding this element gave the viewer an idea of the area of the country that would be focused on and added a way for the 4 kids to be a part of the film since it is largely focused away from them.
• audio: A few clips of radio static followed by a short radio blurb were added periodically throughout the film. This also helped show the viewer the area that they were traveling in rather than constantly showing their location in the same way. It added something unique, different, and intriguing.

AOW #27- "What's Your Secret?"

"What's Your Secret?"
by Holly Eagleson for Seventeen Magazine (April 2012)

This article was about a new trend that is spreading on YouTube. It is where teenagers post videos of themselves with their "secrets" written on index cards. The article highlights a few specific videos; a girl who watched her mom commit suicide, a Christian lesbian, and a girl who was sexually assaulted.

The context of this piece is when this new trend is sweeping the nation as so many people are doing these new videos.

The purpose of this piece is to discuss this new trend and explain the reasoning behind it.

The audience of this article is largely teenage girls, as they read this magazine the most.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Quotes- This article is filled with quotes from the girls in the videos. These quotes greatly add to the article because they allow the reader to connect with the stories that are being discussed because such a personal touch is added.
• Highlights- Throughout the article, there are many highlighted sentences. These sentences clearly stick out the most and are mostly quotes. This adds emphasis to the most important topics and concepts of this article.

I think that the author accomplished her purpose greatly. This is a trend that I was acutely aware of before reading this article, but after reading it I realized it is so much more than it appears to be. After reading the article, I actually went on YouTube and watched several "secrets" videos.

AOW #26- IRB A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway was a twentieth century writer known for his tough works. He wrote about his experiences as a former journalist and World War I ambulance driver, as highlighted in A Farewell to Arms. 

This book is about an American ambulance driver in World War I. He meets an English nurse, and they quickly fall in love. The story follows him through his adventures on the war front, a horrific injury in a bomb explosion, and the unexpected pregnancy of his love. 

The context of this book was during the twentieth century, post- World War I era. 

The audience is anyone interested in books about war or romance. 

The purpose of this book is to tell an entertaining tale of love and war.

Rhetorical devices include:

• Sentence Structure: Hemingway uses a contrast of long run-on sentences with overuse of "and" and short, blunt sentences. 
• Imagery: There are a lot of details, describing everything about the war. The setting is especially descriptive.

I think the author accomplished his purpose. This book is so far pretty good. I am not a huge fan of war stories, so it is less entertaining to me than it might be to someone who is a fan of that type of writing, but it is absolutely a well-written story and a very good love story.

AOW #25- "Is Kony 2012 Good for U.S. Foreign Policy?"

"Is Kony 2012 Good for U.S. Foreign Policy?"
by Lionel Beehner for the Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lionel-beehner/kony-2012-video_b_1336839.html

This article was about the possible positive and negative results and aspects of the Kony 2012 campaign that is sweeping the nation through social networking. It is a semi-biased analysis on some aspects of the campaign and how it is and is not effective.

The context of this piece is when this new campaign has quickly and widely spread, appealing so much to the younger generation that usually doesn't have any interest in these foreign affairs.

The purpose of this piece is to debate the possible positive and negative aspects of this new campaign.

The audience of this article is any one who is aware of the Kony 2012 campaign.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Compare/Contrast- The article compares and contrasts the positive and negative aspects of the Kony 2012 campaign. It debates the points of the campaign and how they are good and bad.
• Opinion- This article contains a lot of the writer's opinion. It seems kind of biased because the author really writes about what he thinks is good and bad about the campaign.

I think that the author sort of accomplished it's purpose. It gives an interesting perspective on the aspects of this campaign and how they can be both beneficial and harmful. It was very interesting to read though.

AOW 24#- KIA Commercial

KIA Commercial- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOmqv6V44Sk

This commercial was of a guy dreaming. He dreams of himself driving a KIA car. While he is driving it, first he sees this beautiful model. Then, he drives past Motley Crue playing a show. The commercial then shows hundreds of pretty girls in bathing suits screaming for him.

The context of this piece is during the 2012 Super Bowl so there is an extremely large audience.

The purpose of this commercial is to advertise the KIA car as being a manly car, and one that will attract good-looking girls.

The audience of this article is anyone viewing the Super Bowl, particularly appealing to men since they make up the majority of the Super Bowl-viewing audience.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Comedy- This commercial is really comical. It makes the viewer laugh because it plays on all the stereotypical things that men like: good-looking girls with little clothes on, rock and roll, cars, etc. 
• Juxtaposition- The commercial starts with a calm, slow song to set the mood of the man sleeping. Once he is in the dream, the mood greatly changes to being loud and energetic. There is loud rock and roll music, and even the sound of the car's engine is emphasized.

This commercial accomplished its purpose because it is appealing to the audience so it sticks in their mind. It could do a better job emphasizing the features of the car itself, but it does a good job showing the general point that the car is manly.

AOW #23- "I Was Carjacked at the Mall!"

"I Was Carjacked at the Mall!"
as told to Claudine Ko for Seventeen Magazine (March 2012)

This article was about a young girl who was carjacked while putting her bags in her car during a shopping trip to the mall. She left her friends to put her shopping bags in the car, at which point a man shoved her into the passenger seat of the car and drove away with her still in the car. They ended up at the top of a dirt road, where there was only a single house. She finally escaped from the car and ran to the house, where luckily an older couple was home and able to help her. Eventually, the police caught the man and had him arrested.

The context of this piece is when it is not uncommon for teenage girls to be alone at their cars, in situations where things like this can happen.

The purpose of this piece is to make readers aware of this situation and that it is possible for things like this to happen to anyone.

The audience of this article is all Seventeen magazine readers, which is mainly teenage girls.

Rhetorical Devices:

• Detail- The story is described in such great detail, so it is easy for the reader to imagine what is happening and visualize the story. It helps the reader feel for the girl and be scared for her.
• Punctuation/Syntax- The story is written with a lot of exclamation marks and quotes. This is used to show the intensity of the situation and emphasize the mood.

I think that the author accomplished her purpose because I never really considered situations like this being able to happen to me. I am now more aware of things like this and will be much more careful, especially when I am out by myself.