Author: k.vaskevich

Student at Baruch College attempting to figure out what she wants to do in life.
03/31/16

Proposal

In my paper I would like to focus on the lack of emphasis on native languages for children of immigrants in the United States. I asked a question of why does this happen? I think my answer is: because of the importance of the English language and the social stigma surrounding the incapability of speaking English fluently. I would have to look at sources that hit on the “universality” of the English language, and how powerful it is. I’d also look into why English is so powerful and the implications of that. How are native languages de-emphasized? I believe this occurs through the process of education [learning Standard English and so on] and “Americanization.” (I might hit on the notion of American Exceptionalism here, if it relates?) The effects of the lack of emphasis on English is my purpose which includes the loss of cultural identity, the inability to communicate with family (this is where my personal story comes in), and perhaps more if I find research on this. I could do research on larger political implications and how vital it is for America to stay diverse in languages. [ Perhaps the dbate that was mentioned in the beginning of the semester of making English the national language.] I could tie in how a diverse and multicultural environment stimulates learning and growth. My audience includes those in my thesis: the children of immigrants, such as myself. I guess I’m reaching out to them and telling them to focus on their roots. Indirectly, I’m also targeting those who claim that in America, English is supposed to be the sole language, and showing them how such a case would be detrimental to all.

03/24/16

Family story

I come from a family of architects, engineers and bankers. My family members attained their higher education degrees in the former Soviet Union, and here, that doesn’t play a huge role. My mother has two Masters Degrees in Economics and in Business that she acquired in her home country of Ukraine. Coming from a family where most of my family members went to college, it was expected that I, a first generation American, would attend as well. There was never a question of whether or not I would go to college; it was a question of what I would study when I went to college.
Given that my parents were immigrants, it was sometimes difficult to practice at home the language I learned in school. This, however, is a hardly a difficulty, given that I am white and of the middle class. I had a lot more privilege and benefits than other children of immigrants. I was able to apply to gifted & talented programs and receive tutoring when needed. My reading and writing did not particularly suffer due to my parents being immigrants. Reading a lot helped me improve my writing, and in turn, help my mother slightly with her English. I’m still surprised and so proud of her coming to a foreign country, learning the language, breaking the glass ceiling daily, and becoming a manager database administrator for the NYC government. It was much easier for me than it was for her, but she always stressed that I need to study hard and go to college.
While I was thinking about the paper and the English language, I noticed how much it was stressed for my mom to know the language well. English is marketable. For my generation and onward it is easy to forget the native language if we’re so fixated on being Americanized and learn the language that will bring us more wealth and stability. I found this to be remarkably true because a few days ago I noticed my Russian is slowly getting worse, since I have no dependency on it. I wonder if this is a trend among immigrants who put all their efforts in to be a part of this society, and ultimately forget their roots. This is especially easy to do with White Americans who claim that “this is America, you have to speak English.”
03/22/16

Mother Tongue

Amy Tan in Mother Tongue argues that children of immigrant parents speak different Englishes, and that these Englishes shape their identity. Her evidence for her argument come mainly from her past experiences as a daughter of an immigrant and as a writer. Tan creates a huge emotional appeal, particularly when she describes her attitudes toward her mother’s broken English: “ I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say” (78). She tells the reader of instances when her mother was mistreated for her English, and when Tan, herself, struggled in English class because it was not practiced at home. Her essay focuses on her mother and how, to Tan, her mother’s English is perfectly clear— “vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery.” All of that is stripped away when attempting to value what she has to say based on standard English. This is why the title, Mother Tongue, is of particular importance. Tan seeks to satisfy her mother in her writing, as she sees her as an important audience.
Her audience may include children of immigrant parents, and tell them that there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of. They are to embrace the beauty of their native language. Similarly, her audience may include those who assume that unless someone speaks proper English, he or she is uneducated. To those people, she exemplifies the mistreatment of those who don’t speak English well without any justifiable reason; just because a person can’t speak English well, doesn’t mean he or she is not educated. While the purpose of her piece may be to inform her audience of the different Englishes she and other  bilingual people use, I believe she is also persuading people to withhold judgement and be more understanding. She persuades them that using complex words does not define intelligence.
Tan divides her Englishes into the following: the simple English she spoke to her mother, the broken English Tan’s mother spoke back to her, the water down translation of her Chinese into English, ad the perfect and imagined internal language of her mother’s Chinese if she could speak perfect English (standard English). Incorporating these different Englishes allowed her to reach out to her main reader, her mother, the most. She went beyond the superficial, pretentious complicated words. She delivered her message in a more simple manner.
In my own life, I remember speaking to my mother in a more simple English when I was younger. She would respond to me using English words , but often using Russian grammar. As I began to gain more knowledge in vocabulary and grammar, I began to share this information with my mom. My mom’s English is now a lot better than it was before, but I would say that our conversations include a mixture of Russian words and English words. The English I use in class and with my professors is much more complex and thought out, and is more in line with the standard English. I find the English I use with my close friends to be a mixture of complex and formal words, mixed in with slang that is predominant in Brooklyn [This depends on what we’re talking about.]
03/15/16

Revising Attitudes

One of the things I took away from this piece is “use whats useful; disregard the rest” Often times, people feel as though whenever their works is being criticized, the writer has to adhere to every reader’s criticism. It is important to realize that what the reader is giving the writer are suggestions. With the peer review, I was soaking in all the critiques. I instantly revised most of the problems that were brought to my attention, but I decided to let go the comments that didn’t present issues to me. For example, hearing that my thesis wasn’t clear in my essay, strikes me as more important issue to fix than eliminating a few background sentences.
What I found interesting is that in the beginning of the piece there was a list that debunked common misconceptions of revision. One of them was that “Revision is drudgery; only the first draft is creative.”  I used to not be particularly fond of revising my work. The strangest thing happened after I got feedback from my peers and professor: I actually enjoyed revising my work. I can’t believe I’m saying that. When I sat down to fix my rough draft, I felt as though a wave of creativity and new ideas just overcame me, and I kept fixing and adding more words.
03/3/16

Responding to other students’ writing

One of the things that stood out to me about this chapter is the author’s insistence that the student who is reviewing a peer’s writing is not an editor. We ought not to focus on grammar and spelling mistakes in the rough draft. I found this surprising as I always welcomed other’s to correct these minor mistakes because, at times, these small errors slide right past me. Similarly, I love the way Richard Straub posits that in reviewing each other’s works, we should respond like thoughtful classmates, and not attempt to be teachers. I think this is a very effective method of constructive criticism.

I took a creative writing class my senior year of high school, and my teacher insisted on peer review in a style that was slightly different than the standard exchange of papers. He removed our names off our papers, made enough copies for each person in the class, and instructed the class to critique the piece (with the author hidden in the audience). Under the cloak of anonymity (though it was the author who was anonymous, I guess it was easier for students to offer unrestrained criticisms without knowing who is specifically listening) students in my class often provided criticism that was not constructive in any way. They would rip apart stories on minor mistakes and failed to praise as frequently. Personally, I didn’t find this activity helpful. (Not because my story was bashed, but because I didn’t find anything to take away from the discussion.) I feel that if the class was presented this chapter prior to looking over each other’s writings, responses would have been much productive and effective.  The students would understand to praise just as much as they critiqued. Similarly, I feel as though they would focus on relevant and significant errors in writing—not just  rushed misspelled words that are missing a letter.

 

02/29/16

Shitty First Drafts

Before I respond analytically to Anne Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts, I would like to say that it was a very enjoyable read, as it was succinct, down-to-earth, and funny.  Lamar poses that there is a method to writing novels, and that the preliminary step of the process is to write a shitty first draft. That first draft is not meant to be written eloquently; the draft is meant to catalyze and ignite the thought process of developing the story. It gets the ball rolling. Lamar relates to the reader by saying that amazing writers don’t simply write their novels right away; they procrastinate, have some self-doubt and eventually sit down to write. I think this is somewhat comforting as we are beginning to work on our Rhetorical Analysis paper.

I believe that a rough draft is very important; though, I must admit, that whenever I write my first drafts, I put a great deal of effort into them in terms of thesis selection, organization, details and word choice. I find it easier to sort through the content for my paper once I plan everything out and write it all out. It then becomes easier to make changes, as there is more substance for others and myself to critique on. Quite frankly, before reading the article, I thought that the argument would argue the opposite. I felt as though the author would stress the importance of writing good first drafts, as then it will be easier to write full stories.  I was pleasantly surprised because, now, I think this approach eases writers and students into the process of composing a long piece of writing. It is especially important if people go through “writer’s block,” since then, writing random words and ideas on paper/computer might lead to a brilliant topic or theme.

02/25/16

Rhetorical Analysis Pitch

Podcasts are becoming particularly popular nowadays, and I was wondering why. Didn’t we switch gears from listening to radios to watching television? Isn’t merely listening to someone tell a story through a medium so thirty years ago? Well, a few weeks ago I began listening to a podcast called Serial, a weekly telling of a murder case that occurred about 17 years ago by Sarah Koenig, a journalist. I wondered why I was intrigued about her decision to dig into a case that was “solved” so long ago and listened to her play back interviews, interrogations and countless documents. She revealed new information every week, as people who knew the those involved in the case during the late 1990’s also listened, and appeared on the podcast with their thoughts. I believe that was one of the audiences she targeted: people who could provide additional information to a case full of mysteries and inconsistencies. [ This also lead to numerous investigations of this case around the country]
Similarly, I think this podcast send a larger message, or purpose, that our criminal justice system is extremely flawed. Juries are only allowed to claim the guilt of the defendant if they believe he/she is at fault without reasonable doubt… and look what happened. Minor claims relating to this purpose would be to question unjust rulings, not to give up without a fight, and to be eloquent, concise and truthful if ever involved in a criminal case. Koenig was appealing herself ; it wasn’t her clear voice or extreme intelligence, it was her down-to-earth and honest opinions that listeners could relate to. She didn’t posit Adnan Syed’s innocence from the beginning , she consistently talked about switching opinions about his innocence as new information is revealed.  She seems to be logical, dedicated (this research process took over a year), very resourceful, and modest. It is almost as if she’s the protagonist herself. Without the use of visuals, a constraint, it may be difficult to paint an image in listeners’ minds; however, I think Serial does a great job of that. I believe that with more thorough rhetorical analysis I could dive deeper to encounter more metaphors and form more meaningful connections.
02/22/16

My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew rhetorical analysis

James Baldwin, in The Fire Next Time, makes an argument for Black Americans to approach the race relations in America in a compassionate and understanding way in order to create change in the way Black Americans are treated by their White counterparts and they way they regard themselves. Baldwin was highly active in the Civil Rights movement and his approach to racial conflicts are usually regarded as being in the middle between Malcolm X’s forceful approach and Martin Luther Kings Jr.’s compassionate and nonviolent approach. The way he achieves the purpose of his letter is by addressing a larger audience of African Americans, taking into account White Americans, through addressing the letter to his young nephew. He appeals to emotions, using pathos, by personalizing the beginning and establishing a common ground with the readers: “I…have carried your Daddy in my arms and on my shoulders, kissed and spanked him and watched him learn to walk.”  His argument is to convince Black Americans to get rid of the hatred they have and utilized it to understand the changing world of White Americans: “you must accept them.”
On a spectrum from Malcolm X’s ideas to MLK’s approach, Baldwin is seen to be at different places throughout the letter. Taking into account White audience, he writes “They are…still trapped in a history which they do not understand,” indicating a soft approach, lying in line with MLK, filled with understanding and love. Later, Baldwin goes on to say “…we, with love, shall force our brothers to see themselves as they are, to cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it,” indicating a more forceful approach, in line with Malcolm X. Granted he does say “with love,” here he demonstrates that they can’t be passive and must take action.
Similarly, numerous times Baldwin establishes a notion of a relationship to be created between Black and White Americans: “Try to imagine how you would feel…” and “But these men are your brother—your lost, younger brothers.” The exigence is the conflicting race relations and institutionalized racism, but beyond that, Baldwin writes this letter on the one hundredth anniversary of the Emancipation. As a gay, Black American, James Baldwin faced injustice daily, establishing his credibility, or ethos, in addressing problems African Americans dealt with.
02/17/16

Letter to my Nephew response

I found James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time to be filled with emotion, depicting institutionalized and internalized racism at a highly personal level in a letter addressing his nephew. When Baldwin writes “There is no reason for you to try to become like white people…” I immediately think of, especially recent, efforts of the Black community embracing its roots and empowering its members with love and education, and how, for some reason, these efforts seem threatening to the White community. It is not as though the rights of White people are being taken away nor are White people being attacked; people of color are embracing their uniqueness (in contrast to White people and even within the community) and use this uniqueness to motivate and send internalized acceptance because, as Baldwin mentions in the letter, at times, those attacked with racist remarks may come to believe them. This, similarly, reminds me of the term self-proclaimed prophecy in reference to Black youth accepting the legal system and imprisonment. Often times, youth in poor communities feel as though there is no point in studying or setting goals, as they will end up in jail inevitably.
Baldwin addresses the aforementioned, distressed White people: “… the danger [of black men being equal to white men] , in the minds of most white Americans, is the loss of their identity.” Quite frankly, I believe Baldwin’s approach is very soft. Sure, this may appeal to White people in that Baldwin seems understanding, by explaining valid and sound reasons for why these racist attitudes exist; however, appropriate reasons do not excuse nor justify current actions and views. Maybe a loving approach of acceptance and understanding, as Baldwin suggests, may catalyze change. I found this absence of hatred and grudges to be commendable, though I maintain that sometimes it is best to give others the cold, hard truth and push for an attitude change.
02/16/16

Apple’s 1984 Ad

Having done some research to comprehend the context of the commercial aired by Apple in 1984, I understood the exigence to be rejecting the fact that the government and large corporations should exclusively have access and control over computers and technology; therefore, introducing the Macintosh, each person will be able to control his or her computer. The intended audience would be everyday consumers, particularly those watching the Super Bowl, as this is a product Apple wanted to make accessible to everyone. There are several constraints to this rhetorical message, first being that it is a commercial during the Super Bowl, and therefore, needed to be short and succinct. Similarly, another constraint was probably companies that air commercials, I would think they wouldn’t want to air something that was too outrageous or problematic. Likewise, the cost of running commercials, particularly during the Super Bowl are high.
The subject is Apple, a technology company, whose prose is to convince consumers that they should be the ones in control of their technology, and therefore, purchase the new Macintosh. The argument is the most interesting part of the commercial. The product isn’t shown at all; however, they way Apple attempts to persuade is to draw a parallel of totalitarianism from George Orwell’s 1984 by featuring Big Brother on a large screen in front of many people, establishing unity and eradicating autonomy, to recent advancements in technology. In comes the heroine, which I assume represents Apple, throwing a sledgehammer at Big Brother, which is I assume is meant to represent big corporations and government, resulting in an explosion.
I believe the commercial strongly uses pathos, establishing that everyone values autonomy and freedom, and that the new Macintosh will bring consumers just that. The logos in this commercial would perhaps be assuming that George Orwell’s predictions of dystopia in the near future may be plausible and to avoid that we must, therefore, take the necessary precautions and limit corporations in controlling technology. Perhaps the ethos of this commercial has to do with the fact that Apple been creating advancements in technology and has already designed a tool that will be introduced for individual technological governance [the Macintosh]. The kairos of the commercial ties in with the prose, as the goal of Apple was to target everyday consumers (who most likely watch sports on t.v.) and aired this ad during the most-watched game all year. As nobody expected a commercial like this, playing on the dramatic novel, 1984, and slightly comparing it to current-day society, the commercial left a lasting impression on viewers.

02/10/16

“What is Rhetoric?”

One of the topics I found intriguing was the Rhetorical appeals of value. While I knew from long ago that pathos is the appeal for emotion I hadn’t really thought about the aspect of pathos that deals with audiences’ values. It was interesting to learn that as a speaker attempting to persuade, he or she must relate to the audience and tie his or her message to the beliefs the audience possesses. Sometimes, I see myself or others attempting to persuade others in a form of attack by establishing superiority and condemning others to follow suit. A more effective way of persuasion would be to ask questions to confirm audience’s values, and proceed further to relate the subject at hand in terms that appeal to the audience. For example, as a vegan, I notice my vegan friends attempting to persuade meat-eaters by calling them murderers and animal haters. I see this as an ineffective method to persuade as a better process would involve leading with questions such as “You don’t believe innocent live beings should be hurt, right?” or “Do you believe we should minimize our negative impacts on the environment?”

02/10/16

Rhetorical Analysis

Laura Bolin Carrol writes that “understanding rhetorical messages is essential to help us to become informed consumers, but it also helps evaluate the ethics of messages, how they affect us personally, and how they affect society. These are essential reasons for citizens to be able to analyze and dissect persuasive messages that come their way as being consumers in a culture of consumerism. Having products and services thrown at our face daily, we must be able to make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing products or believing various statements. This includes being able to understand the purpose of the messages we receive and how they are tailored in a way to sway us and appeal to us. This is not to say that we shouldn’t be moved or persuaded of anything, I believe Carrol would contend that we ought to comprehend the implications of the persuasion on individual and societal levels. Without being informed consumers, we are just an automatic, passive part of the industrial process which consists of producing goods, selling goods, and buying goods. By being more educated we give ourselves the power and autonomy to decide what opinions we form, what products we buy, and what services we accept. 

02/10/16

Everybody’s a Critic

In “Everybody’s a Critic. And That’s How It Should Be,” A.O. Scott argues that humans need to utilize their minds to think and offer criticism on works of art to create dialogue between polarized opinions (i.e. open-mindedness and skepticism; creativity and conformity) and steer clear of passivity encouraged by consumer culture. Scott establishes his career as a critic as more than just a person spewing random opinions, but as a person whose profession it is to be an artist and empower art and creativity and allow both of those things to be valued and picked apart. I found this article to be very well written and compelling in that we, as spectators, have an ability to “recognize and respond to the creativity of others,” and therefore, have an obligation to do so.

I frequently find myself annoyed with those who never choose to take a side of any argument. (I obviously don’t mean a dramatic, miniscule fight between friends and a person doesn’t want to get involved.) When I say that, I refer to relevant and important issues that require in-depth research for opinions to be formed. I believe it is crucial to form individual opinions and approaching data and theories head-on with skepticism. Saying that, I do not mean that one should regard everything one hears as a lie; I mean that one should study and analyze information accordingly to make an autonomous decision. I agree with Scott in that it is crucial to create conversation between opposite views in offering criticism of the arts and entertainment. Approaching controversial topics, art, music, film and photography indifferently is, quite frankly, boring. I contend that his hinders the progression of future creativity. We are lucky in that we are able to express our various opinions and ideas, and have them valued (some more so than others) by others.

02/9/16

… but See No Escape

The second part of the headline, “but See No Escape,” of the New York Times article, “Many Flint Residents Are Desperate to Leave, but See No Escape,” creates a metaphor for prison. Flint residents are figuratively behind bars without an escape from the lead-contaminated city. Desperately wanting to move out, those living in Flint, Michigan face serious obstacles because of their inability leave their hometown. It is virtually impossible for Flint residents to sell their homes because no one is willing to purchase a house that has lead contamination and a poor water system. Similarly, banks are unwilling to give out loans for such houses. Thus, the residents are not able to escape—much like a prisoners confined in cells. It is almost as if they are being held captive by government and private “bars.” The significance of this comparison lies in the fact that the government put these residents in such a horrible situation that is detrimental to their health, and private industries make it impossible to leave this lead-contaminated city. This metaphor is significant because when a group of people have their liberty, autonomy, and freedom restricted, a parallel can be drawn to imprisonment, where the same happens. Realistically, the Flint residents can just walk out of the city; however, on a deeper and more reasonable level, their financial situations and familial relations do not permit them to do so. They are confined to an environment that is dangerous for their health and safety, but do not have any other feasible option.

02/9/16

The Egg and the Sperm

In The Egg And The Sperm: How Science Has Constructed A Romance Based On Stereotypical Male-Female Roles, Emily Martin argues that language, particularly scientific language, reflects our cultural stereotypes of our definitions of male and female; furthermore, by uncovering the “sleeping” metaphors in our studies we will enable ourselves to understand when we are projecting our cultural views and understand biological practices in a more neutral and factual way (485, 501). I found this article to be very captivating as it is written very eloquently and addresses any possible counter-arguments, “One could argue that menstruation and spermatogenesis are not analogous processes… (487),”as well as offer a solution to the problem she states, by “substituting more egalitarian, interactive metaphors to describe the activities of egg and sperm… (501).

This piece ties in a notion that Lakoff and Johnson brought up in that we use metaphors in our basic language without realization. Although scientific textbooks don’t necessarily use basic language, their metaphors of gender stereotypes may be overlooked and gone unnoticed. Martin also furthers the thought that culture affects the language we use. Due to our association of women being passive and weak and expecting to be saved by their strong and active male counterpart, biological texts use language that reflects the feminine eggs as being useless and passive, as well as the masculine sperm being fast and on a conquest to penetrate the egg. In my earlier post regarding the book, Metaphors We Live By, by Lakoff and Johnson, I spoke about gender perception and metaphors in our every day language when we tell people they “run like a girl,” or that men can’t cry and they need to “man up.” Truthfully, this article was eye-opening on the same metaphors, as I had never considered factual texts about biology to be poetic and incorporating these kinds of metaphors.

02/3/16

Metaphors We Live By

The introductory paragraphs of the first chapter, Concepts We Live By, describe my opinion and understanding I had of metaphors prior to the completion of the first three chapters of the book. I envisioned metaphors to be part of the language  poets and writers use to provide imagery and connections for their readers.  After Layoff and Johnson analyzed mundane speech metaphorically, ” Time is Money,” I noticed my thoughts drift to culture. The authors mentioned that our perceptions of considering argument to be war and time to be money is largely due to the way we have been socialized to view them. They go on to say that if we look at different cultures,  perceptions of these concepts may differ. And so, I came to the conclusion that these concepts mentioned and not mentioned in the book may be the studied cultural universals (marriage, funeral rights, taboos, currency or exchange methods, gender roles, etc). Distinct cultures come up with their own metaphors for their cultural universals.

In relation to gender roles, our culture established two metaphors:  masculinity is strength and femininity is weakness. (Although I am not quite sure I can define these as  metaphors; I would have to define explicitly what strength and weakness are.) (Similarly, although strides have been made to socially eradicate these notions, these assumptions still exist.) Assuming I have defined plausible measures, I went on to think of every day speech to support these statements. Often times we hear ” You run like a girl,” or “Don’t cry, you’re a man,” establishing that running like a girl means running almost childlike and that men aren’t to cry because that shows weakness. The notion of gender roles are present in all cultures; however, the way cultures value gender roles differ. Just because in egalitarian societies women pick berries and cook food while the men hunt, doesn’t mean that the jobs the women do aren’t equally as important to survival.

 

02/1/16

Introduction

My name is Katherine Vaskevich; although, many friends and family members call me Katya. I usually avoid telling people to call me that because it takes a while for them to pronounce it even remotely correct. I have always found writing to be an outlet for my thoughts and emotions. My utmost love and respect for animals found ways to creep up even in my research and analytical papers for English classes. I am a huge advocate for animal rights.

busy

This picture accurately represents me because I always have multiple tasks at hand. I find myself to be busy quite frequently,but I would prefer to be busy than to have nothing to do. Currently, I am balancing classes, a part-time job and a few private tutoring lessons that I teach. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, I will also be volunteering at an animal shelter.

My portfolio link: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/kvaskevich/