The Things They Carried and the Vietnam War
05 Wednesday Jun 2013
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in05 Wednesday Jun 2013
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in13 Sunday Jan 2013
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inRoy Richard Grinker, an Anthropologist from Maryland, wrote this novel to reveal the way autism is treated around the world, for diagnoses and responses to the disorder vary greatly in different cultures. As he wrote in the introduction, “This book is about how culture affects the way we view autism.”
In the introduction, Grinker notes that, as news of autism rates rising rapidly spreads, there is a sense of urgency and panic among Americans. To me, this begs the question: Since Asperger’s Syndrome shall now be included in the Autism Spectrum, the number of people diagnosed with ‘autism’ will increase. Won’t that just cause more panic and urgency? In chapter two, in fact, Grinker answers this question:
There is no easy answer to the question of whether the concept of autism should be more or less inclusive. Big, popular, inclusive categories like ‘autism’ can be good for advocacy, awareness, and acceptance. But they can also mask variations and lead, at times, to a ‘one size fits all’ approach to a group of distinct disorders.
It may cause more panic, but it will also lead to more awareness. The problem is not so much in the public panicking, but in the treatment of autistic people.
While much of chapter one is based on Grinker’s experiences with his eldest daughter, who was diagnosed with autism in 1994, chapter two consists of the history of autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. He focuses on the life and work of Chaskel (Connor) Leib (Leo) Kanner, an important name in autism research, and Hans Asperger, the psychiatrist for whom Asperger’s Syndrome is named after. Understanding these two men and their ideas about autism and Asperger’s are important for grasping just how much the definitions of the two disorders have changed.
I particularly liked Grinker’s comparison between the autism and color spectrums. In the color spectrum, there is no definite division between two colors. Similarly, in the autism spectrum, there are no obvious borders between different kinds of people with autism.
Interroger.
23 Sunday Dec 2012
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inIn this informational book, Echo R. Fling, the president of Asperger Syndrome Education Network, writes about the characteristics of AS in a very down-to-earth style. Fling is able to couple aspects of AS with personal anecdotes of her struggles with her Aspie son.
Though this may seem like a very clear-cut definition, AS itself is easily confused with other similar disorders. Fling mentions High-Functioning Autism, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder- not Otherwise Specified as disorders commonly confused with Asperger.
Fling also touches on the lack of knowledge in the AS category. Not only was the DSM-IV definition of the disorder a bit fuzzy, but the main modes of treatment were to treat AS as Nonverbal Learning Disorder. In her own experience, Fling had to suffer through many expensive visits with psychologists, neuropsychologists, occupational therapists, Speech Pathologists, pediatritions… the list goes on and on. It was quite a long time until finally someone gave her son the fitting diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. As Fling describes it, many of the diagnosis turned out “close, but no cigar”.
In the end, Fling concludes that the increase in number of individuals with AS to 1 in every 300 demands that the disorder be clarified and researched further.
01 Saturday Dec 2012
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inHow much sleep did you get last night?
Probably not enough.
In this piece, journalist and author Mitch Albom notes the importance of sleep and the methods Americans use to fight it.
Albom uses very informal language, addresses to the reader, and personal anecdotes throughout this article. He begins with admitting his own caffeine addiction, thus putting him on level with many of his readers. His frequent use of the word “we” makes it less of a personal attack on the reader and more of an objective criticism about the habits of many Americans. A major part of Albom’s article is the telling of his sleep history– how he gently descended into a life dependent on caffeine. His tales of early middle school wake-ups and college all-nighters also ring true in many of his readers. Overall, the honest, informal attributes of his article bring him down to the reader’s level, making the piece more thought-provoking than accusatory.
Albom’s use of tropes (figurative language) greatly enhance his article, as well. To draw attention to one short paragraph, Albom utilizes the techniques of metaphor simile, and hyperbole: “Sleep is a natural healer, a true friend to the body. But we fight it like a foreign army. We yawn all day.” Albom calls sleep a “true friend” and a “natural healer”– terms that enforce his point that sleep is not only important for our mood, but necessary for our health. This also buttresses the idea that sleep is something sweet and full of good intention; that sleep is innocent. Thus, when Albom claims that “we fight it like a foreign army”, the impact is much greater. The word ‘foreign’ implies that we are unfamiliar with sleep, as we have ventured so few times into its territory when we ought to be living in it. The idea of us “fighting” such an innocent, unfamiliar land as sleep makes us seem silly and pathetic. This is a fight we are destined to loose. We will find ourselves asleep in the middle of office meetings or unable to go a day without being hopped up on caffeine. Albom’s hyperbole of “we yawn all day” backs this idea up. We can battle sleep all we want, but it is a loosing fight, and we will not be true without its friendly, healing nature.
This being said, Albom and I would both like to ask you to attempt a longer night of undisturbed sleep tonight. 🙂
Dormir.
10 Saturday Nov 2012
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inTo read “If only a president sounded like this”, click here.
This 2012 election has been a brutal one. That is something I think we can all agree with.
Before President Barack Obama was announced to be the winner of the 2012 presidential election, Mitch Albom wrote what he hoped the winner would say in his acceptance speech. He focused on the personal attacks made throughout the presidential campaigns and the laws that ought to be put into place to prevent elections from getting out of hand again.
As usual, Albom’s writing techniques are commendable. In three different locations throughout his “speech”, he utilizes anaphora in a very effective manner. In his first use of the rhetorical device, Albom wrote, “I’m sorry this election turned into a campaign of hate. I’m sorry every ad was dipped in venom. I’m sorry we called you at all hours. I’m sorry we hounded you until you wanted to blow up the TV and pull the phone from the wall. It’s wrong.” Here, Albom pairs anaphora with a staccato sentence. The anaphora emphasizes the apology of the newly-elected president; if the speech were delivered in the proper tone of voice, this anaphora would also assure Americans of the president’s sincerity and candidness. Also, in pairing the anaphora with a staccato sentence, Albom draws attention to the speaker’s own opinion–one that would likely match up with those of most Americans, no matter their political party.
Throughout this piece, Albom also uses several similes. He is able to compare what the president says to what the People could relate to: “We talk about campaign finance reform, but we don’t do it. We don’t want to. It’s like a kid cutting his own allowance.” Through this simple simile, Albom successfully brings politics down to a level almost every American can understand. It also shows that Albom personally understands the difficulty and pain that such an act would put a politician through despite his simple role as a columnist. There is the slight implication, however, that if a kid can manage to cut his/her own allowance, why can’t a politician? Sure, the allowance is a whole lot bigger in a politician’s position, and the work is much harder, but the idea is still the same: Sacrificing selfish desires for the good of others. A child’s cut allowance could save his/her parents money. A politician’s cut ‘allowance’ could save America money. As Albom concludes, “After all, I work for you, don’t I?”
Défier.
Obama’s acceptance speech was not exactly what Albom had hoped for. To read the transcript of the speech he gave last week in Chicago, click here.
27 Saturday Oct 2012
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inTags
Read “The Island Where People Forget to Die” in the New York Times!
Ikaria. It’s named as the place where Icarus of Greek Mythology died. Ironically enough, a recent study shows this little Greek isle to be the place where death is delayed the longest. The conductors of this research looked to find the key for the island’s longevity to see if it could be applied to America. The results? Long life in Ikaria is not just due to food and exercise; socialization may play just as big (if not bigger) of a role.
The author, Dan Buettner, uses a compare/contrast mode of discourse throughout the article to emphasize the main differences between Ikaria and America. He focuses on a wide variety of points. The relaxing environment The social atmosphere. The fresh air. The medicinal diet. The lack of pesticides. The long walks. The self-sufficiency. The selfless attitude. The popularity of faith. Through each point, Buettner shows life in Ikaria to be starkly different from life in America, thus showing the reason for a multitude of centenarians living on the island.
Buettner begins and ends his article with the life story of Greek war veteran Stamatis Moraitis. Moraitis’s story is successful in hooking the readers attention as an introduction. His intriguing tale really sums up Buettner’s idea of life in Ikaria– long, content, and purposeful. As a flash-forward style ending, Moraitis’s story also fits. Buettner chooses to end his piece on a humorous note, proving that the elderly on Ikaria still have their wits about them. He retells a recent phone call he made to Moraitis in which he asked the 97-year-old how he had made his miraculous recovery from lung cancer. The old man replied, “I actually went back to America… to see if the doctors could explain it to me… my doctors were all dead.”
Parler.
20 Saturday Oct 2012
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inTo read the article discussed below, click here.
Newsweek died.
Yep. You read that right. After nearly eighty years of publication, Newsweek magazine will cease publishing print copies and resort to online publications.
Christopher Bedford wrote a strongly anti-Newsweek article celebrating its death and predicting that the death of many other print publications will follow. In his article, Bedford uses a wide variety of figurative language and rhetorical devices.
The whole piece is written as an extended metaphor comparing Newsweek to a “batty” old woman. Bedford weaves this metaphor throughout his article with spider-like dexterity: “The aging glossy was displaying all the signs of bad health, mental and physical: Every year she was getting skinnier…” Bedford uses this metaphor to the full effect. He notes the physical health of “old lady Newsweek” and her spontaneous changes in beliefs. He lists many of the magazine’s past headlines to support his idea that the publication had been going awry for some time. Overall, the use of an extended metaphor in this situation was extremely effective in its purpose to set readers against Newsweek magazine.
Bedford didn’t stop there, however. His creative utilization of chiasmus near the end of the piece sparks readers to read the sentences several times over, soaking in the blunt, irreverent attitude of the author. “You see,” Bedford writes of aging newspapers and magazines, “they all like to think they’ll last forever, but Newsweek is last week’s news, the Grey Lady is growing gray, and the Post is halfway to pasture. And soon, yes soon, it will be time for Time to pass, too.”
Though Bedford’s strong opinions are questionable- even somewhat hypocritical- his writing style is commendable.
Mourir.