The photographer responsible for taking this picture may not have had the intention of making a statement about the scene that took place before his eyes. However, regardless of his original purpose in snapping the photo, the image speaks for itself. It is a clear criticism of the politician’s character. He fails to understand his people and attempts to appeal to them through nothing but charisma, completely ignoring their obvious plight.
In the foreground stands a family of poverty-stricken Mexicans gathered around a politician. However, were it not for the caption, the viewer would not even be able to tell that the latter individual had any political experience at all. The man’s attire goes beyond gaudy and into the realm of ridiculous. Crimson colored spandex tights cling to his manly frame. They are emblazoned with what can only be described as a golden supermanesque symbol, which is splashed proudly across his chest. He sports a pair golden underpants and boots with laces matching his suit. A gloriously sleek cape lies draped over his shoulders, and a mysterious mask conceals his undoubtedly chiseled features. He stands before the crowd of people, with his arms upon the shoulders of two, likely in a (futile) attempt to show his sympathy for their situation and pledge his support to their cause.
The background consists of a tragically run down brick building that probably is what a group of 15 or more people call “home.” Rubble litters the left hand corner and the slum stretches onward into the horizon.
1) Why does Hamlet wait so long to kill Claudius? What are the reasons for his hesitation? How valid are they? How many times does he have the opportunity to attack Claudius? What are his reasons for not doing so?
1. Hamlet waits such a long time to kill Claudius because of various reasons at several points during the play. When the ghost of King Hamlet first appears to his son, claiming that the new King Claudius was responsible for his murder, Hamlet is not sure if he should believe the specter. He likely considers the possibility that the ghost is not even real–that it is but a vision of madness. Even if the ghost exists, there is a chance that it is trying to deceive him. Because of this, he does not immediately plot to kill his uncle. In order to make matters clear, Hamlet stages a play that reenacts his father’s demise. Claudius’ reaction to the show all but proves his guilt, and Hamlet knows that the ghost spoke true. Later on, Hamlet is given a chance to kill Claudius when he finds him alone and off guard. However, he yet again chooses to waste the opportunity due to the fact that were he to strike his uncle down while he prayed, his sins would be forgiven and the murderer would be allowed into heaven. Hamlet is unable to stand such an outcome, and chooses to bide his time until another chance presents itself.
2) Hamlet claims that his madness is feigned, an “antic disposition” which he puts on for his own purposes (I.v.172). Why would Hamlet want to feign madness? How can an appearance of insanity help him achieve his ends? Is he really sane throughout the play, or does he ever cross the line into madness? What about Ophelia’s mad scene? Is it real or feigned? Is there “method in her madness” as well, or is she entirely irrational? Why has she gone mad? (What two reasons do her songs suggest?)
2. Hamlet may want to feign madness in order to confuse everyone (particularly Claudius). The appearance of insanity could make him appear harmless for the most part (who would believe that a madman would have the wits to plot the assassination of a King?), and cause Claudius to lower his guard. However, feigning insanity could also work against Hamlet, for if he overdoes the act, more attention would be brought to him than is necessary. This would make it more difficult to move freely about, as Claudius would be more likely to send spies after him (such as Hamlet’s former friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) in order to determine Hamlet’s true intentions. Ophelia’s madness on the other hand, does not appear to be an act. It is likely that her insanity was caused by a combination of her father’s death and the cruel manner in which Hamlet treats her before abandoning her completely.
3) Pay attention to the treatment of the women characters Gertrude and Ophelia. Is there any basis for the Freudian interpretation of an Oedipal attraction between Hamlet and his mother? Hamlet does seem obsessed with his mother’s sexuality. How old is Hamlet? How old do you think Gertrude is? Is Hamlet’s disgust at Gertrude’s sexuality justified? To what extent is Gertrude guilty? Was she “in on” her husband’s murder? Has Claudius confided in her since the murder? How does Hamlet’s perception of his mother affect his behavior or attitude toward Ophelia? Why does he tell Ophelia to go to a nunnery? Does Hamlet really love Ophelia? If so, why is he cruel to her?
3. Although Hamlet does appear to be obsessed with his mother’s sexuality, it is more because of his disgust at her betrayal of her former husband (by so quickly moving on after his death) than it is a sexual interest in her. This disgust is partly justifiable, as it is rather cold of Gertrude to remarry so soon after her first husband passed away. However, there may have been other reasons for Gertrude remarrying. She may have done so in order to prevent others from claiming the power that she held as Queen, and Hamlet as Prince (if another couple were chosen to succeed the throne, mother and son would likely become ordinary citizens with no power of their own). In this way, her choice to wed Claudius could be seen as a practical measure of security. It is unclear exactly how much she knew about her husband’s murder, and it is even less clear if she was actually involved in it. However, it is within the realm of possibility that she conspired with Claudius to remove King Hamlet from the picture. The two new monarchs could have been in love. Hamlet’s strained relationship with his mother has definitely impacted his view on all women (specifically Ophelia, his girlfriend). He sees all women as faithless because of the decisions his mother made after his father’s death, and as a result, even his love for Ophelia has been transformed into resentment.
4) Suicide is an important theme in Hamlet. Discuss how the play treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88). Why does Hamlet believe that, although capable of suicide, most human beings choose to live, despite the cruelty, pain, and injustice of the world?
4. In Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” soliloquy, he explores the idea of suicide. He is driven to the breaking point by life’s cruelty, and as such is considering the possibility of taking his own life in order to escape his troubles. However, he ultimately decides to live because of several reasons. Firstly, there is the uncertainty of what lies after death. Hamlet fears the unknown like any other human being, and is reluctant to thrust himself into an uncertain future by committing suicide. Furthermore, Christianity expressly forbids suicide, due to the belief that, because God created all life, every life belongs to him, meaning no one has the right to take a life, be it another person’s or their own. According to this belief, suicide is a direct route to hell (making suicide as a method of escape utterly pointless).
5) Choose a soliloquy in the play to look more closely at. Paraphrase it and then connect it to the larger themes in the play.
5. “Tis now the very witching time of night…” Hamlet plans on staging a play recreating the murder of his father in order to provoke Cladius into confessing his guilt. Cladius’ panicked reaction proves he was involved in his brother’s death, and now that Hamlet is confident about the Ghost’s claim, recites this soliloquy. Hamlet has resolved to avenge his father’s death. However, at this point in the play, Hamlet is still not ready to kill Cladius, which is made evident at several points later on in the story. It is only at the very end, when he is near death, that he becomes driven enough to go through with it.
Some of the most helpful things were how to best manage one’s time, in addition to maintaining one’s composure when the clock is ticking the last precious minutes. This is especially useful to me, as my biggest problem with timed writes is actually having the time to finish my essay.
One of the topics that is not discussed as in depth as it should be is the actual essay writing strategies we should be using. It is mostly crammed together in one section (argue). It would have been more useful if more time and detail were given to this section, as it is probably the least clear part of the entire procedure. Things such as order of arguments (by strength, by how many sources cited, etc), tone, and how much outside information to use would have been nice to know about.
The (first apparent) purpose of Swift’s essay A Modest Proposal, is to suggest that the Irish sell the children they are incapable of caring for as a source of food for wealthy gentlemen and ladies. The underlying true purpose is to satirize the foolish ideas individuals of the times were proposing as a way to fix the country’s economic crisis.
The satire serves a rhetorical purpose in that it shocks the reader with the pure ridiculousness of its proposals. The very idea of eating babies is absurd. However, the problem that he addresses (the inability for parents to provide for their children, and the even broader problem of a population too large to handle effectively) is quite real. Swift is able to draw the reader’s attention to the problem, and with such a bizarre and morbid plan, it is likely to remain in the reader’s head for quite some time.
Excerpt 1: I am assured by our merchants, that a boy or a girl before twelve years old, is no saleable commodity, and even when they come to this age, they will not yield above three pounds, or three pounds and half a crown at most, on the exchange; which cannot turn to account either to the parents or kingdom, the charge of nutriments and rags having been at least four times that value.
This excerpt shows how the speaker refers to the Irish, specifically the children in a manner that dehumanizes them. Prior to this excerpt, he refers to mothers as “breeders.” The word breed is normally reserved for animals. By making the speaker describe children as a mere commodity (and a poor one at that), the reader becomes alienated from the speaker and his position, leading him/her to sympathize with Swift’s true position.
Excerpt 2: I shall now therefore humbly propose my own thoughts, which I hope will not be liable to the least objection.
This short excerpt displays the tone that is characteristic of the speaker throughout the piece. His voice is rather arrogant, and it is quite obvious that he is being anything but humble in his ridiculous proposals. Indeed, it seems like the speaker feels that his plan is perfect, and that no argument could possibly be made against it. This yet again leads the reader to develop a sense of dislike for the speaker.
Excerpt 3: Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, ’till he hath at least some glympse of hope, that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice.
With this, the speaker essentially states that until someone can come up with a better idea, his idea of cannibalism is the best possible course of action in such desperate times, both for the children and for the parents. This outrageous claim serves to completely set the reader against the speaker, both out of dislike for his arrogance and out of disbelief that the speaker is incapable of coming up with a more rational plan.
One of the most easily noticeable rhetorical strategies Chesterton uses in his essay is humor. It is through the contrast between his seemingly serious tone and word choice, and not-so-serious topic that the effect is maximized. By giving the essay a lighthearted mood, Another rhetorical strategy that Chesterton utilizes is the construction of a credible persona–that of an educated individual, particularly in the field of art. He references many famous historical figures who were influential to art in general, such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Michael Angelo and their works. In doing so, he shows that he has a degree of knowledge about the subject at hand. A third rhetorical strategy would be rapport. Chesterton attempts to relate to the audience by exploring mundane questions that ordinary people are bound to have asked themselves at one time or another. An example of this would be wondering aloud the purpose of a boring repeating pattern being displayed all around a room’s perimeter (wallpaper). In doing so, he makes himself seem more like the reader–an everyday person, rather than an all-knowing voice that tells the reader what to believe. A fourth rhetorical strategy would be metaphor. Chesterton creates vivid imagery through metaphors such as the comparison between dripping colors and fairy rain, and the wallpaper symbols and small pox.
One of the rhetorical strategies that Mr. Downe utilizes in his attempt to convince his wife and children to follow him to America is appealing to the reader’s emotions. Near the end of his letter, he appeals to the reader’s sense of justice, claiming that America is a country where “Character has its weight and influence, and the man which is really your superior does not plume himself on being so.” During this time, one of the main reasons people were leaving England was to escape political and economic oppression. By making America seem like a land of justice, where character trumped birthright, Downe was able to successfully paint an attractive picture for his wife. Another way in which Downe appeals to the reader’s emotions is by expressing the agony he supposedly experienced at having to abandon his family in England (stating that “it was sore against me to do it”). However, he is able to turn this around, absolving himself of guilt by assuring his wife that he had no other choice, and in any case, the sacrifice was well worth it.
Most compelling observation: “Power with us does exist to some extent in courts of law and in police establishments, but it also exists in many other American institutions.”
Introduction: Many parts of our government–in particular the justice system–possess a great deal of power. However there are also many other ways in which the country divides power.
Claim: The government is not the only institution in America that holds power over the people.
Argument 1: Power is divided among numerous other groups
a) ethnically (white privilege and affirmative action)
b) economically (money=power)
c) socially (men over women, old over young, etc)
Conclusion: Much of the power lies in the hands of the people, although it is severely divided.
The general argument made by H.L. Mencken in her work The Feminine Mind is that men envy women for their intelligence while women envy men for their leadership abilities. More specifically, Menken argues that while each gender values and envies the best traits of their counterparts, they also recognize and are put off by their vices. She writes, “She may envy him his masculine liberty of movement and occupation, his impenetrable complacency, his peasant-like delight in petty vices, his capacity for hiding the harsh face of reality behind the cloak of romanticism, his general innocence and childishness. But she never envies him his puerile ego; she never envies him his shoddy and preposterous soul.” In this passage, X is suggesting that women do indeed recognize many of the qualities and skills that men posses, they are above their counterparts in other ways. In conclusion, Mencken’s belief is that although men and women are fundamentally different, they each have strengths and weaknesses, and so neither is superior to the other.
1) In the beginning of the selection, what complaint does Rassalas have against his sister’s method of argumentation?
1. In the beginning of the selection, the complaint that Rassalas has against his sister’s method of argumentation is that she uses rare or infrequent cases as her evidence. In this way, she exploits people’s fear in order to convince them.
2) Summarize the 2nd paragraph. Why is “calamity” not so bad?
2. Even though terrible things happen, they are simply a part of life and do not make a large impact on the people’s lives. We naturally experience hardships as well as happiness regardless of what the nation’s leaders or the country itself is faced with. Calamity is not so bad because the fear of what could happen causes more harm than the incidents themselves.
3) Why does Rasselas believe that “marriage is one of the means of happiness?” What is his sister’s response?
3. Rasselas believes that “marriage is one of the means of happiness” because a man and woman are needed to reproduce, which is the meaning to life, and marriage brings a man and woman closer to that purpose. His sister’s response is that when people discover that marriage has not brought happiness to their lives, the disappointment and unfulfilled expectations will ruin their lives and relationship.
4) Summarize the 6th paragraph.
4. The princess is against both marriage and celibacy. Rasselas claims that even though both may be bad, one has to be worse (leaving the other to be a better choice).
5) The Princess’s response (“To the mind, as to the eye, it is difficult to compare with exactness objects vast…:”) is pretty complicated. What is the philosophical point she’s trying to make?
5. The philosophical point the Princess is trying to make is that people are usually unable to comprehend an entire idea, and so they take what they can understand and make decisions based on prior biases.
6) What argument do the two have about marriage? What good does Rasselas see in it and what evil does his sister see?
6. Rasselas sees marriage as the path to happiness and fulfillment, as it brings a man and woman closer to the purpose they are supposed to serve (reproduction and raising young). His sister on the other hand, sees marriage as a path to unsatisfied expectations and hopes.
7) What rhetorical strategies do you see employed by both speakers? Be specific.
7. Rasselas mostly uses logos to turn his sister’s arguments against her. The Princess enjoys making use of metaphorical language to help her case. She also appeals to the emotions of her audience (particularly fear).
The general argument made by Singer in his work Animal Liberation is that animals are capable of experiencing pain and suffering just like humans. More specifically, he argues that because of this fact, deliberately harming an animal is morally wrong. He writes, “No observations, whether behavior signs such as writhing or screaming or physiological or neurological recordings, are observations of pain itself. Pain is something one feels, and one can only infer that others are feeling it from various external indications” In this passage, Singer is suggesting that even though animals are incapable of directly communicating with us, there are ways to tell when someone/something is experiencing pain. In conclusion, X’s belief is that animals’ inability to tell us they are experiencing pain does not give us an excuse to experiment on them and cause them suffering as a consequence.
In my view, Singer is right because I have owned pets and been able to recognize when they were experiencing pain. More specifically, I believe that humans do not have any right to inflict pain upon members of other species. For example, one of the major justifications for slavery and other forms of oppression was that the victims were less than human. If we now recognize slavery as evil, then how can we still justify animal experimentation? Although Singer might object that animals are below humans and no connection can be made between racism and speciesism, I maintain that it is not much of a step from one to the next. Therefore, I conclude that animal experimentation should be put to a stop, or at the very least become more harshly regulated than it is now.
