Putting Daddy On

Putting Daddy On

          Tom Wolfe, graduated from Yale University and the author of 15 novels, depicts a relationship between a son and a father that live a very different lifestyle in the essay, “Putting Daddy On”. It contrasts the poor and the rich, young and the old, and right and the wrong, which causes Parker, the father and Ben, the son to lose their bond. Traveling down to the Lower East Side where only poverty exists, Parker, dressed fancily in uptown clothes brings a friend to retrieve his son, who dropped out of Columbia and chose to be a hippy. From a perspective of a frustrated and a guilty parent, “Putting Daddy On” allow all teenagers in a stage of rebellion to know what their parents might think. Although Parker speaks to Ben as if he is mocking his of life, it is revealed in the essay that he understands why Ben is acting the way he is. Parker also reveals that although he didn't speak to Ben much when they net, there were not much he could have said and that he tried the hardest he could. It shows Parker’s understanding of Ben growing up as an independent and letting go his control over him.

          Although it is not clearly stated in the novel, the audience can be assumed to be the teenagers and the parents who are under conflicting relationships. Tom Wolfe achieved his purpose through using various rhetorical devices such as colloquial language, perspective, and visualization. Using colloquial language allowed the readers to understand what type of character Parker was. Through his use of words, we were able to identify his humorous and sarcastic side. Wolfe’s interesting use of perspectives easily draws the attention of many readers, because although a lot about Parker and his visit to the lower east side is revealed, there are a lot of things about the situation that is ambiguous because of the nameless narrator. However, Wolfe’s use of visualization of the settings allowed the readers to see the big differences between the father and the son. Although the author’s purpose was rather hard to find, through many rhetorical devices, Tom Wolfe did a successful job in portraying the conflict between Parker and Ben.

Sometimes We Must Understand to Let Go

Parents can’t always believe that they can construct the lives of their children.

Work Cited

"Movie Reviews: 'The Nut Job,' 'Big Bad Wolves'" NY Daily News. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.

"Tom Wolfe." Tom Wolfe. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.

Coatesville

Coatesville

          Slavery is a topic that most people are aware of, but the information about slavery is often hard to consume and relate to. John Jay Chapman, an American poet, dramatist, critic, and an activist as an anti- slavery speaks of the cruel event that took place in Coatesville that allowed me to touch the deeper aspects of slavery. During the essay, he refers to the shock he felt when he first found out about a man that was burned alive and tortured but felt a greater shock when he learned that there were hundreds of witnesses that saw such a devastating, inhumane action and chose to do nothing about it. Chapman tells us the consequences of being silent. The silence that was present in Coatesville in 1911 not only failed to save the man that was struggling out of the pitchforks that faced him but tolerated the offenders of their unjust actions.

          Out of many purposes and lessons that were evident in Chapman’s essay, one that stood out to me the most was to never wait for someone to make the changes you want to see in the world. After the occurrence, those hundreds of witnesses blamed everyone else in the crowd except for themselves with an excuse that they were waiting for someone to stop the murderers. Chapman, after discovering the consequences of silence that effected slavery in great degree, stands for not only against slavery, but also for people of all ages to be affected by the lessons that he was able to learn through the event that occurred in Coatesville. Chapman successfully achieved his purpose by using two different but effective rhetorical moods. First one is description mood, where he visually described an event that took place to a deeper level. The second one is the exposition mood, where he analyzed the given event to a broader degree that captivated the readers visually and analytically. Overall, the author accomplished his purpose in describing the severity of silence in slavery and leaves us with a lesson to take actions for what we believe in.

Silence Exacerbates Problems

Do not avoid problems by being silent, but voice your thoughts.

Work Cited

"John Jay Chapman | Biography - American Writer." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.                   Web. 17 Aug. 2015.

The Handicapped

The Handicapped

            While delving into the topic of disability through the essay, “The Handicapped” by Randolph Bourne, I was able to learn the effects of limitation due to physical circumstances on a person’s life. Despite his physical differences, Randolph Bourne graduated from Columbia University and worked as a journalist, social critic, political activist, and an advocate. Learning from the hardships that constantly challenged him, Bourne describes that being handicapped had its advantages as much as it had its disadvantages. First, he describes his disadvantages by describing how he often neglected himself and always believed that he was not capable of achieving success and acceptance in society even with the best attitude. He also depicts a sense of discrimination he faced from the society when he was left out at social events or when he was in search for a job and found himself being given a fewer chance for acceptance compared to those without a handicap. However, he tells us the positives of having deformities as well, for he was able to understand a better perspective of the world and able to achieve self- respect and wide- ranged of intellectual achievements.

            Through Bourne’s realization that deformed can establish achievements as well, he speaks for the handicapped to have hope and to find satisfaction in their experiences no matter how hard and bitter their journey was. He encourages his readers to never judge their abilities by comparing their achievements with others and to search for those who they can rely on. He achieves this purpose by speaking through a first person narrative, allowing the readers to rely on his thoughts and to relate their experiences with his. Not only that, but he also uses pathos, heart- rendering stories to capture the attentions of the readers. Overall, Randolph Bourne successfully accomplished his purpose in indicating that the handicapped have the abilities to make changes in the world just like others through sharing the lessons he learned through his adversities.

Tony Parsons: The Handicapped Aren't Worth It

The disabled don’t want special treatment. They just want a fair treatment and a helping hand.

Works Cited

"Randolph Bourne Institute." Randolph Bourne Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.

"Tony Parsons Column Disabled Go from Paralympic Winners to Humiliated as 'scroungers' in Space of a Year." Mirror.             N.p., 14 June 2013. Web. 17 Aug. 2015.