Thesis & Review (Surojnie Deonaraine)

What’s the Point Summary

By using general ideas in the beginning and asking questions about what you see and why it is important, a thesis can be built. From using these general questions it builds a foundation for the main argument. In describing what is seen, various lenses can be used and initial description as well. The importance of the information being put into the thesis should follow. The thesis should also not be too simple or general because the more specific the main argument is, the clearer it will also seem.

Responding Summary

Before responding, the context of the piece should be taken into consideration and there should be an expectation of the piece. You should also have an initial goal of making the writers piece better than it was. The stage of the piece should also be taken into consideration as the piece might still be incomplete and not fully thought out. It is also important to not sound too critical but as a helper who’s giving constructive feedback to push the writer in the right direction. When writing feedback and responding, you should be concise and thorough because the writer needs to fully understand how to better they’re writing and what to change. It is also good to give advice or even ask questions to show the writer what is unclear from a readers perspective.

Project Proposal (Surojnie Deonaraine)

The option that I chose was the #LikeAGirl Always Commercial because it shows one question being interpreted with two different categories of people. This commercial appeals heavily to pathos and uses the metaphors “Run Like a girl” and “throw like a girl” to show how the stereotype is interpreted in society. The pro to this piece is that it can be analyzed so much and there is so much to write about when relating it to societal examples. However, the con is that it is hard to put into words and describe without having the viewer see the commercial. The commercial itself is an interpretation that my paper will be interpreting.

The second choice I had was the new Subway commercial that is directly opposing McDonald’s. I thought this commercial was so interesting because it includes the McDonald’s sign as a heartbeat and shows that subway is the healthier alternative. The pro is that this commercial is different and creative with its use of the “M” as the heartbeat. This can be analyzed heavily and I can also look at the background behind their feud. However, the con would be that I wouldn’t know what more to write about and don’t think it would give me enough for the paper.

My last choice is the Mountain Dew Ice vs. Doritos Blaze Commercial which includes ethos with Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage. There is also a lot to analyze and interpret in the setting of the commercial as well as the songs that are used to represent both sides. The con, however, is that the commercial can get confusing as to what the real purpose is. After watching it a few times, I was confused as to why they used these celebrities and what was the reason for the commercial other than humor.

Writing as a Process (Surojnie Deonaraine)

“Introduction to Composing as a Process” Summary

Writing is a process that is allowed to be recursive and performed however many times it needs to be. The process of writing can be never-ending as need be because it allows new ideas to arise and also improves communication. The process itself helps with knowing how to express your ideas as well as figuring out the best possible way to do so.

“Shitty First Drafts” Summary

There are stages in getting to the final draft of a written piece. The first stage is a childish and beginner piece that is predetermined to change. This stage allows all thoughts to be on paper so that when you look back later ideas can be triggered or there might be something that you see that can be used. Using this step can get rid of the fear of not knowing what to write or how to write it, for the time being. Once there are thoughts on the paper then, you can work with what you have and add or edit. The second draft is where you fix it and the last draft is where you examine it with a fine toothed comb.

“Freewriting” Summary

Freewriting or “babbling” for ten or fifteen minutes daily can help your writing get better. This is because you get down any thoughts in your head at the moment and do not stop. It helps to let your thoughts and feelings out and then never look back at them again. Freewriting makes you think less about editing and having your writing be errror-free that the writing itself gets lost. When we write we have more time to edit as opposed to when we speak. Therefore, we choose to deny certain ideas from being in our writing. It is a constant burden to have to get the piece of writing ‘right’ therefore, editing happens at the same time as producing which causes confusion and certain aspects not making sense.

Response

The act of freewriting and getting down all your thoughts before you actually start editing is what all three articles were trying to emphasize. This is because this step is the first stage of writing which can be repeated so many times until the writer is ready to go on to step two which is to edit and fix it up. It’s similar to doing the research and then using the information to write and expand on the research. While reading I noticed that the writing process itself is exciting only if you make it that way. The freewriting example was actually entertaining because it was written in voice that was relatable and in a sense humorous rather than restricted after editing.

Intersectionality (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Dancing Around Objectification

The piece illustrates the difference and similarities between two texts. The Harlem Dancer includes a black woman and the Invisible Man has a white woman. Both these women have to entertain their audience but are treated very differently and this is highlighted. The Harlem dancer is praised for her looks and admired because of the perception she gives off, whereas, the white dancer is used as a form of fear for the black teenagers and amusement for the white men. The white dancer has some power in determining who can touch her and what she is perceived as but the black dancer does not. I feel this is connected to the fact that the black dancer stands for the concept metaphor of being black therefore you can be used and perceived in any way. Whereas, being white, the dancer has some choice and is exclusive even though she is not completely admired like the Harlem dancer. The black dancer being an object and the white dancer having some power, merely adds to the unfair treatment that blacks faced back then and even today.

Intersectionality 101

Intersectionality is identifying multiple lenses and using them to reveal how they connect to create a perception. When looking at oppression, I never actually looked at it through this perspective in which many lenses intertwine and affect each other to create a certain view on a situation. It is as if it followed a road map and could follow different directions, as the passage states, being affected by other lenses to have the outcome of different reactions. This reminds me of how metaphors are given reactions based on stereotypes and different factors. However, these factors are from what society makes the metaphor to be and they all intertwine to create the reaction whether it be negative or positive.

The Urgency of Intersectionality

There are many intersections that get lost in discrimination reform. It is the different roads that are identified and supported, however, those that are in the intersections of these pathways are unidentified in society because there is no frame or identification to recognize them. I think this is very eyeopening because everyone is different and they have different characteristics that do not always fit into specific categories. Intersectionality includes those that fall through the cracks. This relates directly to the police shootings because all we really know of is the men that fell but there are rarely ever mentionings of women that have endured the same violence and are under the same issue.

The Bechdel Test

The Bechdel Test is actually very interesting because its purpose is to diminish female inequality and presence in films and in media as a whole. It follows requirements of two women, both named, being in a film talking to each other about any topic other than about a man. Therefore, these women have to be important characters that add to the value of the film because they have to be named and they have to hold a conversation, making them noticed and remembered. I think this test helped many women get further into acting and land more famous roles. I also think it helps the roles of women, as seen in “Dancing Around Objection,” to make a reputation for themselves in acting and entertainment as a whole.

Concept Metaphors, Eggs, & Sperm (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Summary of both passages:

Metaphors are seen to be difficult and for those who focus on poetic and rhetorical language. However, the way people conceptualize uses metaphors by relating unknown ideas to known ideas in order to get an understanding. The conceptual system allows us to perform every day tasks and live our lives. People are unaware of this system because it takes no though but, it is this system that is used to communicate with others which is a necessary action. Concept metaphors are reflected in society because they are paired with/followed by reactions or expressions that describe such metaphors and give it meaning. The conduit metaphor consists of ideas/objects being put into words/containers and sent to others to reveal. Concept metaphors are presented in The Egg and The Sperm when talking about menstruation, ovulation and, spermatogenesis. The passage tells of the textbooks and written works that highlight the fact that sperm is produced by the millions however, the female system is not as exciting and does not produce. The passage explains that because of these descriptions, people have predetermined notions of the two reproductive systems. Society portrays the female system as inferior to the male system because it is finished at birth. The passage also raises the question of why the eggs are wasteful but the vast array of sperm does not hold that label. All in all, it is the language that textbook authors and others use to describe the processes that put forth the reaction to the concept metaphors.

Response to Metaphors We Live By:

The conceptual system can be thought of as instinct and/or common sense. I see it this way because we use the conceptual system to perform everyday tasks and go about our lives. This system is also used to determine what we say and how we react to certain things based on their concept metaphors which have already been placed in society. The example used about Argument is war was very interesting to me because I never actually realized that the term argument was won or lost just as a war however, the concept argument can be both negative and positive. The concept metaphor, in this case, can be the colloquial meaning of the concept. The use of the example Time is Money is an eyeopener because the world that New Yorkers live in is built on time. There is never enough time in the day to get everything we need to get done. This is an eye opener because the metaphorical concept has been too far imbedded into the society that no one can stop and smell the roses. The conduit metaphor, I find very analytical because it is such a simple process that happens in seconds however, when analyzed in this way it can be easily controlled and the way people speak can be understood.

Response to The Egg and the Sperm:

The passage is about the enthusiasm of sperm and its production compared to that of menstruation and ovulation. When reading this I was actually surprised because I thought ovulation and the female reproduction system itself was astounding. To read that the male reproductive system was more exciting in textbooks and other written works made me have a different opinion on what is being taught in biology classes. I think the term ‘menstruation’ is a concept metaphor because it is known as being invaluable and as waste. Society gives this concept metaphor a negative reaction and repels the idea of it. However, ovulation is not the same as menstruation and should be as interesting as spermatogenesis. I agree it is fascinating that a males tubules can produce millions of sperm but from my perspective, the ovary is much more valuable because it is much more rare/scarce.

Analyzing Texts (Surojnie Deonaraine)

Summarize this reading in your own words (150 words)

Analysis involves looking at relationships of specific ideas to create a whole conclusion. It is also about deriving the meaning behind the rhetoric used and how it affects its audience. Text can invoke different reactions from us but analysis uses small parts to figure out what triggered a certain type of reaction to give a whole conclusion. The tools used to view text in different ways are actually called theories that have certain reactions because it is only seen in that one way. Different types of writing also use different tools to analyze them. Analysis takes into consideration the statement being made as well as the supporting evidence. It also takes into account the audience, purpose. genre and medium used. Analysis also looks at the environment the author is in and what prompted him/her to write the test. There are also unique elements for fiction such as narrator and implied author. Metaphors are something that both fiction and nonfiction share and can be used to analyze the text. The role of gender, ethnicity, race and disability are all lenses that can be used to analyze as well.

What’s your response to this text? (response)

Analysis is very intertwined with psychology because it’s about how the rhetoric affects people and how they think as a whole. I find this intriguing because I like learning about how people can go against the odds and think outside of everyone else. Knowing the demands rhetoric can make and the affect it can have on you can be very helpful in decision making and it’s interesting to me how people are currently being manipulated.

What question do you have after this reading? (question/connect)

After you describe what you see/read, what lense/tool should you start with? Should you start with the tool that related to the first description you noticed?

The Worshipping of TV (Surojnie Deonaraine)

The advertisement above was paired with an article titled “I Worship TV, but I don’t need it Everywhere” in the Advertising Age Magazine published in May 2017. Through looking at the Baruch Library magazines I saw this particular image and felt a connection towards its creativity. The image shows a multi-armed television sitting in a lotus flower being worshipped by others. The lotus flower is used in my religion and is considered sacred because it is where the female Goddess sits. It is clear that the image is intended to show that tv can have many forms and bring many gifts such as Hulu and Netflix to the people that treasure it and cannot get enough of it.

Rhetoric (Surojnie Deonaraine)

When reading about rhetoric, the one thing I find peculiar and interesting is the different interpretations that follow. The question I ask is how can it be completely understood if there are multiple ways of interpreting and every interpretation is different? I also connected the term rhetoric to colloquial language with which a community or “culture” shares. Nonetheless, the type of rhetoric used includes meaning behind it in which there is a reason the rhetoric is being used the way it is. However, meaning is determined or interpreted by the reader thus, the entirety of it is subjective.

A Little About Me & My Writing (Surojnie Deonaraine)

A Little About Me

I am a very dedicated and focused person. Many say I tend to be serious but, it comes just naturally to me. When there are tasks at hand, I direct my focus and finish those tasks. Even though I am a bit serious at times, I still have a relaxed and fun side which many are able to see if they spend some time with me. I like to dream and be a little crazy at times also. Both sides are usually seen when I am comfortable. I love being romantic and just a girly-girl when I’m happy and I feel that this quality attracts most of my friends. I love my family as well as the idea of family and community. The feeling of home makes me feel safe and comfortable. I also like to travel and would like to someday, however, I am waiting for when I am stable with my career and lifestyle to do so. I have a lot of dreams and goals in life that all equate to my idea of success.

Myself As A Writer

As a writer, I tend to go off on a tangent. I write as I speak and sometimes it feels like I am having a conversation with the text but, I think it’s just more interesting that way. When writing, I feel like I can be myself and really go in depth about topics I am passionate about. This freedom supports my tangents and when editing I usually have to remove my run-on sentences and extra information. I like to write to get down my thoughts as well. I feel that it really helps when I am stressed. I want to be a good writer and have my writing flow smoothly so I try to take as much feedback as I can get.