TOW #7 - The Death of the Moth

      "The Death of the Moth" is essentially a metaphor of Virginia Woolf herself. She writes of a moth that is lively and energetic until it is forced to face the ultimate enemy, death, and slowly gives in. The essay was published just one year after Woolf's suicide in 1941, after she wrote to her husband, "I don't think two people could have been happier till this terrible disease came. I can't fight any longer." Through her recognizable stream-of-consciousness style, Woolf shares some insights with the world, and lets family members and admirers know what was going on in her head during her final days. Woolf's essay is clear enough for readers to realize there is a deeper meaning, and complex enough to require that readers actually think in order to truly understand.

      Woolf crafts the essay so that each statement reveals a new idea about herself or about life and death. She writes, "to have only a moth’s part in life, and a day moth’s at that, appeared a hard fate… What he could do he did" (par. 2). This parallels her struggle as a female writer and intellectual in a male-dominated environment, and her efforts to challenge that issue - she may not have been satisfied with those efforts, as hinted by the narrator's later view of the moth as pitiful. She also observes, "there was nobody to care or to know, this gigantic effort on the part of an insignificant little moth, against a power of such magnitude" (par. 5). The contrast between the size of the creature, its effort, and its opponent highlights the seeming impossibility to overcome certain barriers. Despite Woolf's greatest efforts, she struggled in society, failed to battle her demons and gradually broke down in the grip of mental illness.

     Even so, there is a glimmer of hope in the statement, "The moth having righted himself now lay most decently and uncomplainingly composed" (par. 5). Perhaps Woolf wrote this essay as a final "righting," as a way of revealing herself without worry of the public's reception. If so, she did it well.

"He was little or nothing but life." | "O yes, he seemed to say, death is stronger than I am."

TOW #6 - Back to the Future: 3D Printing

     This Huffington Post article examines the use of 3D-printed tools and puzzles in math education, a result of MIND Research Institute's innovative efforts to help young students learn math by "experiencing" it. Written by Ki Karou, a designer at MIND, the article reflects on the recent Math Fair and other company projects. There is an endearingly honest tone, but also a noticeable issue with writing skill and organization.

     The article describes several 3D-printed learning devices, each accompanied by a visual. Though the abundance of examples helps concretize the idea of 3D printing for the reader, it gets a bit cluttered. Also, photos and videos generally help brighten up an article, but there are so many that they interrupt the flow of the article.

     Another aspect that both adds and subtracts to the article's effectiveness is the casual, personal tone with which Karou writes. It adds genuineness, such as in this quote: "there is a buzz-worthy new technology… that when I tell my grandma about it, she tells me I'm speaking to her in another language" (1). His use of plural personal pronouns such as "we" when discussing MIND's work appeals to his ethos by reminding readers of his direct experience with the subject. However, the article also ends up more like a casual blog post than a serious review of the Math Fair and related projects. Karou sounds less like a reporter and more like a Math Fair visitor who wrote the article for fun.

     The article's structure as an informative, rather than argumentative, piece is appropriate. Perhaps Karou aims to inspire teachers and curriculum designers, or advertise his organization and its projects, or simply give information to the general public about a new technology. Regardless, it is an interesting read, but its effectiveness is inhibited by disorganization, a few too many examples and visuals, and some small grammar mistakes.

"Our goal is to bring math to life in new ways for a new generation of students. So that they can develop necessary STEM and problem-solving skills to create a brilliant future." - Ki Karou

TOW #5 - Weathered Chromes

"The minute I saw those two photographs, I said, 'Oh, my lord, that's fabulous. How can I make that happen?'" - Lucinda Bunnen

     The above image, originally a perfectly normal photograph of an adorable toddler on Christmas morning, is now a nature-beaten, time-distorted work of art. It is part of an Atlanta display titled "Lucinda's World Part III: Weathered Chromes." Lucinda Bunnen, the toddler's mother and an experienced art collector and photographer, was looking through 60-year-old photos when she came across two damaged slides, including the one above. Instead of being distraught over 'ruined' memories, Bunnen saw it as a fantastic creative opportunity. She pursued the possibilities and was able to alter the composition, color, and texture of photographs by elements of water, heat, and time. The slides were transformed from good photography to stunning art.

     The photo of her infant son reaching for a Christmas stocking now displays a real-life version of the "plastic wrap" photo filter. Its distortion introduces an intrigue and supernatural tone that the original photo lacked. It has been labeled an investigation into the relationship between reality and memory (Hansell par. 5). The bubble-like effect changed the central composition to a more interesting asymmetrical composition. The light wood background, mahogany mantel and candy-cane stripes emphasize the holiday setting. The abundance of blue instead of the usual Christmas-green gives a colder tone, almost ghostly, reinforcing the supernatural concept of the whole gallery. The glare reflected on the wall frame reminds the viewer of the reality of the photo by appealing to the relatable idea of dealing with flash photography. The new washed-out areas add contrast and the illusion of a third dimension.

     Though some of the work is done by nature, Bunnen is the original photographer and the controlling artist. She may not have directly manipulated each photograph to build a specific argument, but she compiled the display using photos hand-picked to teach or inspire viewers. The gallery is a result of Bunnen's ability to find inspiration anywhere: "'I don't go looking for specific things… Things just drop out of the sky...maybe if you're open enough to see it, to feel it, to hear it, to know that's what you're looking for, you get it'" (Hansell par. 17). Her words remind listeners of the relationship between art, inspiration, and unexpected events.

SOURCE: "Nature Adds a Psychedelic Spin to Lucinda Bunnen's Photography", Huffington Post

TOW #4 - Just Kids (Part One)

"To be an artist was to see what others could not."

     Just Kids, a memoir by poet-rocker Patti Smith, revisits her life as a young adult on the streets of Brooklyn, specifically her time with artist and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Published in 2010, the book is said to fulfill a promise Smith made to Mapplethorpe, who passed away in 1989. Through its honest storytelling and stylistic approach, I can imagine how some people would fall in love with this book, but I can just as easily see how it will fail to connect with others.

     Both artists rejected a family environment described as "a safe existence but not a fairy-tale one" (17). The word choice immediately establishes ideas of rock 'n' roll and hunger - they didn't dream of safety and comfort, but of challenge and inspiration. Instead of hoping for a fairy godmother, Smith was "Wendy entertaining the lost children of Neverland. We were a crew of misfits" (57-58). An allusion that perfectly describes their roles in society, it also reveals their innate innocence. Though holding down jobs and digging for rent, they were "just kids." They did as they liked and went after what they wanted, often leaning on the possibility that everything would work itself out. 

     One analogy captures the off-beat emotions of the book: "I imagined myself as Frida to Diego, both muse and maker" (12). Though the statement appears innocently romantic to some, a reader who knows the insanity contained within Kahlo and Rivera's story views it differently. It foreshadows Smith and Mapplethorpe's relationship, passionate but restless. This ongoing off-beat tone fits the book well, but it also cuts off a large potential audience. I chose this book expecting its style, but there are just a few too many names I don't recognize, metaphors that frustrate me, anecdotes whose purpose I don't understand. The abstract style fails to meld well with the methodical way in which each period of time is described.

     I do understand that this is a memoir, and not an earth-shaking argument. I also still have 142 pages left to read. Perhaps the end will reveal the philosophical ponderings I was expecting, or perhaps the book is  written like this to let readers form their own conclusions. I look forward to discovering which it will be.

TOW #3 - Why I Let My 8-Year-Old Use Swear Words

     This article's uncensored title (in contrast to the one on TIME.com) was "I Let My 8-Year-Old Drop F-Bombs - And So Should Every Other Parent." It gives a pretty clear picture of the ideas to follow: the author has written this article to convince other parents that his controversial decision is a good one.

     Published late this summer, Tom Burns wrote the article after struggling with his daughter through some tough times. Burns is a respectable author, considering his writing has been featured by names such as TIME and the Huffington Post, and still the best ethos for this article comes from his experience as a parent. So he establishes ethos with vivid storytelling that also appeals to pathos.

     The article starts, "My 8-year-old kid has had a rough year. She's struggled with anxiety, school, friend drama, and her first experiences with orthodontia. Third grade has been much, much crueler than expected" (1). Immediately, the reader feels sympathy for both the parent and child. Then Burns juxtaposes that gloomy introduction with a shocking statement: "to instantly cheer her mood… I let her say "f---" occasionally" (2). Burns knows this isn't the norm of parenting; he knows that the whole article is rather provocative, so he goes full steam ahead and bluntly states the main point. His directness is effective because each point cuts straight to the reader.

     He also addresses the obvious counterarguments to letting a child swear: "I’m not giving her license to use those words to hurt other people. I’m letting her use those funny little taboo curses to express hurt, fear, and frustration in a way that hurts no one, in a way that makes her feel special" (29-30). His logic works well. Though I still don't completely agree with him, but I certainly respect his thoughtfulness in being a parent.

     Although the article's simplest purpose was to convince parents that letting kids swear is a way of "commiserating," it goes beyond that. Burns challenges parents to think deeper into the intentions and effects of each action by a parent or child. He turns what could have been a superficial, touchy topic into a thought-provoking investigation into parenting.

TOW #2 - Unmatched

     A few days into the 2015 U.S. Open, a set of Gatorade commercials were released featuring star tennis player Serena Williams. The lead video, titled "Unmatched," is based around a short clip of Williams as a young girl. At the start of the commercial, a young Serena is asked, "If you were a tennis player, who would you want to be like?" The video then transitions into her professional career, featuring clips of major victories and struggles, portraying her as a history-maker. The video concludes with Serena's response, "Well, I'd like other people to be like me," before fading to a black screen with the Gatorade logo and the tagline "Win from Within."

     The ad, timed with the media attention of the U.S. Open, gives publicity to both parties. Gatorade gets support from the best women's singles player in the nation (and at times in the world), and Williams gets some nice airtime with another crucial tournament. Most simply, the ad promotes Gatorade's sales and Williams' name - with that, the audience is athletes and athletics-admirers everywhere.

     However, it goes further into the promotion of a mindset built for success, an idea of self-driven perseverance. The main clip implies that Williams' ambition and determination, even as a young child, is what ultimately got her to where she is now. Showing Williams as grounded - with struggles, hopes, and victories - appeals to an unlimited audience. Perhaps, it's most aimed towards the younger ages, encouraging a fearlessness to go after what they want. In doing so, both parties build their reputations: Williams as a role model and Gatorade as a company that cares about its athletes.

     Ethos is immediately established by the fame of both Williams and Gatorade, logos by the use of Serena Williams' expertise to bring viewers to support Gatorade. An appeal to pathos is created by dynamic storytelling. We see Williams go through the best and worst of emotions. We see her as a confident young girl who isn't afraid to dream big. We see her as a successful professional athlete, passing on the wisdom she has gained over the years. The commercial is one minute of drama and realism that effectively fulfills both parties' purposes.

IRB Intro Post #1

My first book will be "Just Kids," a memoir by Patti Smith. I was initially drawn to this book because of its subject - romantic, dreamy, and edgy all at the same time. After I flipped through a few options, I chose "Just Kids" because it seemed the most appropriate - written well and fairly challenging, but less daunting than the brain-busting scientific jargon of option B and the textbook-sized option C. I'm excited to go on this journey with intriguing main characters and an unfamiliar backdrop.