The Process of Writing (Eunice Ban)

Writing is a long process. Writers have to plan out what they’re going to write, write the drafts, then revise and revise again. writing is not just the final product but is all the work that went into getting to that product. In order to have a good final product, all writers need to go through the process of drafts and also free write so that they can develop and practice to better their writing

Research shows that writing helps us put our thoughts into words and also helps us think of new ideas during the act of writing itself. This is shown in our first drafts and when we free write. Our first draft, it is the base and foundation of the final piece. Because of this, our first draft will always be the worst. Anne Lamott states that the first draft can be considered the “child’s draft”. Since no-one is going to see it, we can put down every single idea we have on that first draft. Then we can thank our first drafts after we find likeness in something we wrote 2 pages later. First drafts are important because they allow us to write down every idea we have, which makes us think of new ideas, which then helps lead to the final best idea.

Free writing is also a way of putting thoughts into words and creating new ideas from that. First off, free writing is a writing technique where there is no stopping. Even if you run out of things to write, you can just write random things and it still makes sense. Regular writing allows you to edit while the main point of free writing is to restrict you from editing. While free writing, we are constantly writing things down which can potentially increase the chance of finding a sentence you like or can use. Peter Elbow also uses metaphors in his writing- comparing free writing to vacuums. He says that free writing is a vacuum that sucks up some of our voice, force, and connectedness which we then can carry over to our regular writing. This is an interesting analogy because I just realized that the characteristics of free writing and vacuums are similar to each other.

Free writing and first drafts are very important in their own ways. While free writing allows us to keep the flow and keep writing, first drafts allow us to write down every idea and every detail that can possibly be used. Both free writing and first drafts invite us to pick out ideas that were scrambled in our minds.

How Intersectionality Affects Different Perceptions (Eunice Ban)

Dancing Around Objectification by Victoria Merlino

This reading was about how two characters of two different stories were perceived differently because of intersectionality. One was a black women and the other was a white woman. They were both performers of some sort and both were idealized and dehumanized in some way. However, race made a huge difference in how people perceived these two artists. The black woman, being black and a woman, had no choice but to be itemized by her audience. However, the white woman was itemized but only for white men. While the white woman had a social class higher than the black men but lower than the white men, the black woman had a social class that was lower than the black men. This shows intersectionality because they are both itemized because they are women, however, since the black woman was black, she was itemized for all audiences.

Intersectionality 101

This reading talks about how the different sections in intersectionality create different perceptions which lead to stereotypes. It also states how these perceptions made by intersectionality led to something as serious as oppression. It was because of intersectionality that people were being discriminated in all sorts of ways. This emphasizes how important and serious intersectionality is and how if not used carefully while analyzing something, it can really affect people in a negative way. The reading also talks about the Standpoint theory which is related to intersectionality in a way because it is the “idea that an individual’s’ perspectives are influenced by their own unique living experiences in social locations and groups”. An example given was that two hispanic women can have the same standpoint in terms of sex and race, however, if one of them is in a higher economic status, their standpoints are not the same. These aspects are all part of intersectionality and when one standpoint is different, it affects the standpoint as a whole.

The Urgency of Intersectionality by Kimberle Crenshaw

Kimberle Crenshaw talks about how intersectionality affects black women. She mainly focuses on intersectional feminism and emphasizes the fact that women are looked down upon. She states, however, that while women are treated in a certain negative way, black women are treated even more negatively. These women were being treated as if they didn’t matter. Some black women who were trying to justify themselves went to court only for the case to be thrown out. Black women were not able to work in plants and there were legal laws in the favor of employers to make it inconsequential. Many black women found it hard to find jobs not only because they are women but because they are black. And Crenshaw really stresses how society needs to be more open minded and throw away this discrimination.

Bechdel Test

The Bechdel test is like a rebellion on how women are portrayed in fiction. It first came out on a comic strip which showed two women talking about the conditions on which they would watch a film. The conditions were that the movie had to have at least two women in it, who are talking to each other, about anything other than a man. This shows how intersectionality affects fiction films because women were portrayed in a way where they spent all their time talking about men when this isn’t true in reality. This whole concept seemed to be implying that intersectionality was, in a way, connected to gender stereotypes.

Response

These pieces were really in depth when explaining what intersectionality is and how to use it to analyze something. This can be connected to texts we’ve read so far because all the texts we’ve read were about how we can use different lenses to analyze something and intersectionality is one of them. After reading these pieces and watching the Ted Talk, I now know how important intersectionality is when analyzing something because race, gender, and other social aspects hugely affect how something is perceived. I never really knew which lenses were the most important. However, now I think the most important lens is intersectionality. This is because there are so many aspects within intersectionality that can be used to analyze something whereas other lenses only contain few to one aspect to focus on.

Questions

Technically, can’t most or all the other lenses be considered in the category of intersectionality?

What Metaphors Are and How to Use Them (Eunice Ban)

Metaphors are used everywhere not only in text and “Metaphors We Live By,” by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson tells us why it is important for us to understand where they came from. The text explains that metaphors come from the very idea of concept. What we perceive is all part of concept and if our concepts are metaphorical then it is safe to say that whatever we think and do are all metaphorical. Examples of metaphorical concepts such as “Argument is War” and “Time is Money” are all metaphors that we use from an understanding of a concept. Arguments can be described with the concept of war and time can be compared with the concept of how we value money. However, metaphorical concept is structured to be partial and not total because one concept is not actually the same as the other concept not an understanding of the concept. For example, an argument is not actually war. It is just that the concept of war can be the same as the concept of an argument. Similarly, time is not actually money but the saying “time is money” comes from the understanding that time is just as valuable as money. Personally, this explanation of metaphors was confusing, however, since I already knew what metaphors were, it was easy to understand what the authors were trying to say or what message they were trying to convey.

In “The Egg and The Sperm” by Emily Martin, the author emphasizes how gender stereotypes are present when explaining the egg and the sperm. One example is shown when the author talks about one explanation of menstruation and spermatogenesis. While menstruation was seen as a failure, spermatogenesis was praised. This showed a gender stereotype because menstruation is similar to spermatogenesis in terms of producing something. Yet, menstruation is seen as something bad while spermatogenesis is seen as something good. THe author also points out that in some texts, the women’s reproductive cycle is explained with pretty much the opposite of enthusiasm while the men’s reproductive cycle is explained with pride. As a person who believes in gender equality, this is not acceptable. Men are always being praised for such small things while women are always degraded for small things. I’m sure most authors described the egg and the sperm by incorporating gender roles for people to understand better but that doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do. This can be very offensive to some people and these authors really need to find another way to explain it without creating controversy.

The two texts “Metaphors We Live By” and “The Egg and The Sperm” have one thing in common. What they have in common is the use of metaphors. While “Metaphors We Live By” explains why metaphors are used and how we can analyze it, “The Egg and The Sperm” is an actual example the utilization of metaphors. In “The Egg and The Sperm” they compare the egg and the sperm to gender roles. Gender roles and the reproductive system of humans have similar concepts which allow them to be compared to each other. The author also writes “The theory of the human body is always a part of a fantasy.“ in the first sentence of the text which already shows a metaphor by comparing the theory of the human body to fantasy. This is interesting because the author uses metaphor so that the reader can relate and understand it better and when I read it, I did understand and relate to it better which shows that the tactic of using metaphors really work.

How Does Analysis Work? (Eunice Ban)

Summary:

Everything we see is rhetoric and everything rhetoric, we analyze. When we analyze something, we take it in and it makes us act or think in a particular way. Rhetorical analysis is how we can use “meta thinking” in order to think outside of the box about a subject in order to figure out how it works. The author of the section “Tools for Analyzing Texts” wants the reader to learn that with analysis, we can learn how a text makes us feel a certain way whether it be sadness or happiness or any other type of reaction. There are certain lenses for analysis which can be applied in the text’s context such as: audience, purpose, genre, and media. These four categories are important rhetorical concepts that are essential in analyzing a text. Using these lenses to analyze a text, we can come up with different theories and intentions of our own.

Response:

After reading this section of the book, I was surprised to see how many techniques there are in analyzing texts. It was very informative and taught me that analysis is not only in text and reading but is in our daily lives. When I thought of analysis, I thought of school and how in english class we would analyze a text or in science class we would analyze a concept. However, after this reading I learned that analysis is used in situations we encounter, on advertisements on the subway, on labels on products, and more. This is interesting because if I can learn to expertize how to analyze something, everything would be much more awakening.

Question:

Is there such thing as too much analysis?

Great Minds Think UNalike (Eunice Ban)

I found this ad on an AdAge magazine that was published in September 25, 2017. I chose this ad because everyone is aware of the saying “great minds think alike” but not “great minds think UNalike”. The moment I read this advertisement, it caught my attention because I have never seen this before, nor have I ever thought about it. But after reading this, it really opened up my mind and realized that great minds are indeed UNalike. Many revolutionary figures have totally different mindsets but still grew their own empire. Example: Steve jobs and Apple, Kylie Jenner with KylieCosmetics, and Jeff Bezos with Amazon. These people had different intentions and different ideas yet created something great in different industries and thats a very impressive accomplishment made from these business leaders.

With Information, We Can Assume. With Knowledge, We Are Wiser. (Eunice Ban)

Baruch definitely focuses on students’ improvements in writing and has more than enough resources provided for its students. One thing in particular that I found interesting is how many services there are to support Baruch students while they are taking these writing courses. Their one to one sessions are very useful for students who work better in an environment of teacher to student and since it is 50 minutes, it is the perfect duration to learn something and not get bored. Not only that but if 50 minutes are too long or an appointment was forgotten to be made, Baruch provides a 25 minute walk-in consultation for students seeking to find assistance for a short period of time. Furthermore, my personal favorite part of this course is that a draft can be uploaded to an online scheduler where written feedback can be given. This would help a student to know what their next step can be. Since Baruch focuses on critical analysis, research, and the craft of writing, these resources are excellent and would be essential to the students.

The reading “What is Rhetoric?” starts off by explaining that rhetoric is not something deceiving or manipulative, like what many may think, but is a way of communication. It is not the same as expressing an opinion but rather a statement and evidence to back up that statement. Therefore, in the 5Ws and How, it would be the ‘how’ and the ‘why’. A rhetoric analysis would be how we interpret the text, in theories, rather than what we think the author meant. Before I read this piece of writing, I also thought negatively of anything that was rhetoric. However, after the reading, it really changed my point of view on how essential rhetoric is when communicating with people. It also helped me realize that rhetoric is utilized in almost everything and is necessary to know and learn about for students like me who are pursuing a business career. This sort of gives me extra motivation to do well during the course and anticipate what new information I can turn into knowledge.

4’8 in height, 6’0 in heart/ How my life affects my writing (Eunice Ban)

As a city girl, I live in an environment full of huge buildings which is a contrast to my small structure. Growing up, I’ve always been known for my small height in which some people find “cute” and “adorable”. However, I would like to define myself the opposite of just that. I know that I’m much bigger than what people see on the outside. On the inside, I am fierce. I am eager. I love to meet new people and travel to wondrous places. I am always anticipating on what’s to come for my future and I have a big heart, which explains my care for friends, family, and small furry animals. My strong mind allows me to express my opinions and stand up for what I believe in. My persistence helps me never let anything get in my way. I may be small in height but I sure am big in heart, mind, and ambition.

Writing for me has always been a way to organize my thoughts. When I have to remind myself of something, I write it down. Even when I have to write a paper for class, I always write down key notes or phrases I want in the paper before actually writing the paper. Although writing isn’t my favorite thing to do and is definitely not a hobby, if I had to choose what type of writer I am, I would say I am a free writer. I love to free write because all I need is a pen and my own imagination. I also love to write in a way that people can relate to it. Communicating with people is something I love to do so when I write, I like to pretend that I’m talking or having a conversation with someone. I can’t say that I’m an excellent writer, let alone a good one, but I try my best and I think that’s all that matters. After all, writing is a form of art and there is no one way to do it.