05/5/16

Remix Pitch

For my remix project, I would like to make a video on iMovie. I will use many pictures, and less of words. I hope in the end my thesis is fully expressed. My audience in this case would be anyone, unlike my narrative piece, which is mainly focused on students. The difficulty that I will encounter is choosing what picture fits and deciding if I want sound or not. I would show two different sides of the coin: how some people might think Asians is the ‘Model Minority’, leading them to be successful. However, it is not all that simple. They work hard and make sacrifices. People should not have stereotypes against a certain group of people.

03/31/16

Research-Based Argument Proposal

For my paper, I want to focus on how racial stereotype affects education. Also, I want to argue that everyone can be good in anything. My audience would be students (Asians, and non-Asians) and adults in general. My point is to prove that not all Asians are good in math. Also, it is through to our background and how hard we work. It is also important when it comes to how motivated are you in your subject. It is a matter of if that person wants to be good at it or not. Due to this stereotype, I hear some people saying, “Oh I do not have to be good in math because Asians are good in math.” Based on my experience, people were raised in a way to believing certain things about other races, and that’s a problem. I would need to do further research of racial stereotypes to prove my point. I would also want statistics and facts to back up my point. I am looking forward to find related studies material, so I can relate to. The purpose of my project is to inform and persuade my audience that these stereotypes are not valid. It all comes down to if that student is willing to learn. Do not let anyone tell you that, oh that is an Asian, White, Hispanic thing, just follow your heart.

03/24/16

Literacy Narrative

When I was little, I was taught the importance of education. If I got below an 80, then that was like a disgrace to the family. My mother would tell her friends and relatives. This made me cared more about my grades and study harder. English was usually my weakness. Growing up as a child, I was not really interested in learning. I had the attitude that how will math, science, or social studies help me in the future? My mother always say work hard in school, try your best, and you will go to a good college and get a fine job. In my family, education is crucial. She does not want me to be like her, doing labor work. She works for 365 days for the whole year and at least 11 to 14 hours a day. Seeing how hard my parents work made me work hard in school and want to go to college. Here I am at Baruch College.

Every summer, I go to summer school, which my parents pay for. Moreover, after school, I go to programs to finish my homework and tutoring. My parents save all their money they work for us. The money that they made had sweats and tears in it. They would safe the best for us. For example, when we go shopping, if we like something, they just grab and pay for it. However, when it’s for themselves, they do not feel like wasting money like that.

My parents were not as fortunate in China. The highest education they achieve is high school. Starting from third grader, I went to prep school. My parents did not know English, so they could not teach us how to do homework. At that time, we only speak Cantonese at home. We love watching TVB dramas, which is Hong Kong dramas. Since as a child, I was not raised in a setting that I was able to be expose to English, my English skills was not great. In my report cards, my lowest grade was usually English. This also affected my other subjects such as science and math because if I did not understand what the problem was saying, then I got it wrong.

The only thing my mother helped me with was math. When I was in Kindergarten, I was doing addition and subtraction. My mother taught me to use my thumb, representing ten. Then I can use my other fingers for the unit digit. Some people stereotype Asians saying that they are good in math. Honestly, as a child I did not like math. I do not understand geometry at all. In my head, I wonder why a three sided thing is called a triangle. Later, I realize I just have to accept for what it is. I was terrible in geometry. Once I got to middle school, I love math, and I continue with my math education in high school and was accepted into the Math Major. If I did not start from basic math again, then I would not have understood math. Even more, I would not have love math. Asian people is not born to be good in math. All race has people who excel in math, not just Asians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

03/23/16

Mother Tongue

Amy Tan was raised by her mother. She always had to be a translator for her mother because her mother’s English was “broken.” People have different “eyes”/ attitude towards her mother because she does not speak proper English. They treat her differently and disrespect her. Tan’s main argument is that there are many forms of English and all of them can be “right,” depending on how close are they with people who are English Secondary Language students. For example, in my neighborhood, I always encounter people pronouncing “Thank you” as “Xang Qu.” However, as I got use to my neighbors saying it, I just accept it very normal, as they are trying to say “Thank you”. I do not know why I did not bother to correct them, maybe I want to preserve their own language.

Tan goes on about making her argument by giving examples of how English is used by people from different backgrounds. For example, she gave a paragraph about how her mother speaks English. To Tan, it makes sense because she understands her, but to other native English speakers, it is a confusion. This piece mostly focuses on her mother and how her mother is associated with English; this is why the title is called “Mother Tongue.” It is because of that tongue that makes her speak. It might not be proper English, but it is English. Her purpose is to show that language is not fix; it is changing everyday.

Her primary audience is her mother, that’s why she wrote it in simple English. Other audience can be people who just immigrated to America from different parts of the world. Tan is emphasizing that do not be discourage if you do not speak English or speak poorly of it. Another audience can be those who are native English speakers like herself. Those people should not judge people who do not speak perfect English. They do not know who they are as a person. Everyone should be understanding; give them full attention and be supportive. There are the Englishes that are “broken”, “simple”, and “watered down”. All these different Englishes makes up of who Tan is. It is through her mother that she experienced all these. As a writer, she includes the whole package in her writing, and that’s how she had written a piece that is simple and easy to read.

At home, I mostly speak Cantonese with my parents. I speak English with my siblings and I talk freely with whatever I have in mind. I speak informal with my friends, sometimes in Cantonese or Mandarin and even joke with them in Chinese. I speak proper English with my Professors and with my employers, I speak Cantonese and English. In my neighborhood, everyone is mainly Chinese, so I usually speak Cantonese or Mandarin, even though I’m not good in Mandarin.

03/15/16

Revising Attitudes

Deither make us think in a novel way. When I think of consumption, I think of food, but Deither says words, images, landscapes, memories, books, and hours are also meals. In writing, it is important to forgive yourself and move on, so you can improve and become the most demanding reader to yourself. One main point in revising is that, there does not need to be something wrong with your paper to revise it. It can be that you want to change the direction that you are going or you want to focus in something else so the paper can be better than you can ever imagine. This is what happened to my paper as well. I first started going to the direction that the show Shark Tank is an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to achieve the American Dream. Then I redefine my thesis statement and focus it on entertainment. I will focus more on metaphors and entertainment side. I will also make my transitioning from paragraphs to paragraphs better. The professor or classmates are only giving you suggestions, so you can use the one you think will help you, and throw the rest out the window. I like that the author gave the analogy that writing is like a song. A singer sang an amazing song. However, there is always room for improvement. A YouTuber can make a remix of it, and it becomes a great it. You should get over with the grade that you get and read the comments. I do not know if that day will come: “What makes me happy is rewriting.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

03/2/16

Responding to Others’ Writing

This piece is useful for the readers who will help us edit our papers. I definitely would like someone who is honest with me. Give me as much criticism as you like. I want to improve my writing skills. I might be embarrassed about how much you commented or write. However, I know at the end of the day, what you are doing for me is helping me and that is great. It might make sense to me what I’m writing, but from the eyes of an outsider, it might not make sense to you. I like how Richard Straub mentions that readers need to focus on the big picture, instead of the minor details like grammar (136).
Straub emphasizes on do not sound like a teacher, but more like an acquaintance/ friend. I find that useful because I would not want someone giving me feedback and saying something such as “figure out yourself”, or “you can do better”. However, actually giving back feedbacks with support and suggestion, that will make the writer improve. Giving suggestions does not mean you tell the writer what to do, it is a path/ idea that the writer can take.
It is funny how Straub says do not be stingy, and write a lot of comments. I find this interesting because if I’m giving is well-written piece of paper, I will not be able to write a lot. Yet, if it’s a shitty first draft, then I will definitely write as much as possible. I also get a little pissed off when a classmate who is reading my draft and says a certain part is unclear. The reason is I do not understand why is it unclear, and it would have been better if the reader explains to me which phrases/ parts are unclear. Do fifty percent criticism and fifty percent praise (141). The comments made should be thoughtful, respectful, and reasonable.

02/28/16

Shitty First Drafts

I enjoyed reading this piece; the title “Shitty First Draft” is very catchy. I like the fact that it relates to the readers and writers. It makes me feel better about my writing. Everyone can be a good writer. Perfection can never be reached in writing. You can always improve from the first draft to draft #infinity. I definitely understand Lamott when she stated, “In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.” I cannot disagree with that. I have been through that stage almost every time when I write a major paper. You might think that authors were born to be great writers, but no. They might have had re-writes for just the very first paragraph of the introduction for more than thirty times. When I write my first drafts, I just state my important ideas and details. This first stage is like brainstorming to me. However, I do a poor job in making transitions and being grammar free. Sometimes, I am embarrassed to show people my very first draft because it is not spotless. Yet, after reading this piece, a shitty draft is not a big deal, just pick up that pen and do some editing.

Lamott mentioned, “Very few writers really know what they are doing until they’ve done it.” This is exactly me, and it does not only apply to writing, but also in drawing. I’m a terrible artist; most of the time, I can only do stick figures. However, when I just pick up that pencil and don’t think about what I want to draw, magic happens. The same goes for writing. You cannot determine what your final product will look like until the very end. I like the way how the first draft is described as the “down draft” and the second draft is the “up draft”.

 

 

02/25/16

Rhetorical Analysis Project Pitch

I’m interested in writing a rhetorical analysis about the television show Shark Tank. I want to write about this because this television is interesting and mind-blowing. It is too addicting that I wish there was no advertisement in between. It starts off with an entrepreneur or a person who wants to build his/her company, but he/she needs help, so he/she goes on Shark Tank to sell his/her products to the investors. If one of the investor likes it, he/she will make an offer, the seller can negotiate the price. Sometimes, more than one investor will want invest in a product.

Right off the bat, the title of the show is already a metaphor. “Shark” is referred to the investors, and “Tank” is referred to the pool of money they have to invest and business connections that they can give to the seller. Shark Tank is a cultural artifact because it represents the “American Dream”. It does not matter if you are poor, black, white, yellow, short, or tall, you have the opportunity to present your idea to these investors. They might not like your idea, but at least you had that chance to share with the world what you did. It is definitely the American Dream to the perspective of someone who has an excellent product because all that person need is the support of these sharks. It also inspire young adults/students to step out of our comfort zone. If you have a good idea, make it happen. Do not just let it happen in your dreams/brain. Do not let yourself regret what you didn’t do. At the same time, there is the negative connotation that comes with it. We all know that there is no free lunch in this world. These sharks who invest in you definitely wants an equivalent amount of return or even more. There can be a possibility that they will want to take over the seller’s company.

02/22/16

Rhetorical Analysis (Baldwin)

The argument of Baldwin’s piece Letter to My Nephew is that any colored person should stand up and speak for themselves. Do not let what others say about you become true. Do not let anyone judge you by your cover. Baldwin emphasizes James to share it to, to share their history with his future children and grandchildren. Let your countrymen accept you for who you are. James must stand up for himself and for his fellow brothers. Baldwin goes about making this argument by describing what he had been through. His uncle struggled and is still struggling. Then he goes on about the sacrifices that their family made and tells James to not be afraid. Indeed, Uncle James wrote this letter to James; however, Uncle James only use his nephew as a pawn/ example.

Baldwin’s main intention is to get out the message to the people in the world. I know this because I feel like if he is writing it to his nephew only, then he would sound maybe angrier or show a side of him that can be only seen by family members? This can be one of its constraints. The letter that he wrote is like a motivational speech and less of a letter. Baldwin states, “This crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen and for which I nor time nor history will ever forgive them, that they have destroyed and are destroying hundreds of thousands of lives and do not know it and do not want to know it” (8). Baldwin handles the situation by stating the fact that they did actually destroy many innocent lives. He later states, “I know your countrymen do not agree with me about this, and I hear them saying, ‘You exaggerate.’ They do not know Harlem, and I do.” (10). Baldwin is basically speaking from the perspective of the whites and also adding them into the conversation. He does not say any harsh words; Baldwin uses logic and reasoning to argue and persuade people to rise up.

02/18/16

Letter to My Nephew

This is such a wonderful rhetoric. Instead of saying “I’m your uncle,” he states “I keep seeing your face, which is also the face of your father and my brother” (7). I don’t know about you, but I think that’s brilliant. If it was me who wrote this, I would be like “you look like your father, who is my brother.” James emphasizes “we have not stopped trembling yet, but if we had not loved each other none of us would have survived” (9). This quote is significant because it shows that if these African Americans do not love who they are and stand together, then there will be no change.

This reminds me of Joshua in the play Cloud Nine. Joshua is played by a white male possibly because Joshua wants to be a White man and desires what white people have.  He said he hated his own people and that they are bad.  Even when his parents died, he didn’t go to their funerals.  This definitely shows that he is disgusted with the black race and prefers to be associated with whites–to the point of being white himself. James, however, wants his nephew to love and appreciate himself, and that goes for every colored people. Do not let anyone’s judgment become reality. Do not try to be white. If you do not accept yourself, how can you make others accept you?

James then goes on and make a move about don’t trust anyone, including himself, and trust your own experiences. This is true because everyone experiences their lives differently, and the world changes everyday. Wow, the letter started with “Dear James” and ended with “Your uncle, James.” The uncle does not want his nephew James to follow the similar footsteps as their family. It sounds like as if Uncle James does not want his next life to be what he had been through. This letter should be to the world, but Uncle James made it to his nephew James to establish a connection.

02/16/16

Apple’s 1984 Superbowl Ad

The exigency of this ad is the need of technological advancement, which in this case is the Macintosh.

The audience of this ad is the millions of people who watched the Superbowl, and broadly, the audience is the world. I found the ad to be quite scary with the background noises.

The constraints of this ad is the cost of the ad and the time limit and space that it has to display it.

The subject of this ad is Apple’s new Macintosh computer.

The purpose of this ad is to persuade the audience to believe in technology, that the Macintosh is what the future will be like. The creators of the ad wanted people to buy the Macintosh.

The argument and reasons that you should act on or believe the argument is that the ad showing a prediction of what the future would be like. Apple wants to give everyone the impression that they are looking at the future, the new product they are promoting.

Ethos in this ad is the advancement of technology (Macintosh). It might also be that everyone in the ad are like robots, and there is only one lady who actually broke free.

Pathos in this ad is the creepy side and where a woman runs up and make an explosion.

Logos in this ad is humans who are like robots and the display.

Kairos in this ad is when the girl runs in and make an explosion. Overall, in the Superbowl, this Apple Commercial is the kairos because it surprised everyone.

I had to watch this ad a few times in order to understand what was going on. I imagine it must have been confusing or even shocking for those who were watching the ad in 1984. The advertisement had a futuristic feel to it.

 

02/11/16

What is Rhetoric?

I found the rhetorical triangle to be quite interesting. Why is the speaker mainly associated with ethos, audience with pathos, and subject with logos? I feel like the speaker should be mostly associated with pathos because the speaker can use his/her emotion to persuade the audience. However, I do admit that if you use the three as a combination, then the writing will be better. I did not know what warrants were in terms of rhetorical analyses, but the example given clearly describes it. Warrants are underlying assumptions. One thing that bombards me is that “rhetorical context always shifts… we must also be prepared to seize the right moment to say the right thing” (44). This sounds difficult because it needs me to be flexible since every situation is different.

02/11/16

Backpacks Vs. Briefcases

I find the most important concept from Bolin Carroll’s piece Backpacks Vs. Briefcases: Step Toward Rhetorical Analysis is that context is crucial. She gives interesting examples such as choosing your clothing depending on where you are going, or viewing a commercial on a specific day. All that is context. The sentence that caught my attention is “One of the first steps to understanding a piece of rhetoric is to look at the context in which it takes place” (52). I find that very true because in order to find the writer’s argument, we have to find the supporting details. Let’s say someone got shot. First of all, the questions asked should be why did he get shot, where was he, or who was there? These questions come up for a good reason. It is the process of understanding what the main idea is and using critical thinking skills.

The author further states “In order to perform analysis, you must understand the context and then you must carefully study the ways that the discourse does and does not respond appropriately to that context” (56). I definitely agree that you have to understand the context, if not, you cannot even answer questions or jot down the main points. The second part of this is to figure out if that sentence or idea fits in the context. For example, if the first paragraph is about the opening of a new park, then in the middle of the paragraph, you write “I like vanilla ice-cream. This does not flow or make sense at all.

I appreciate how Carroll tries to connect with us throughout the piece, especially in the introduction. The YouTube videos, Book chapters, PowerPoint Presentations, and Bar Graphs we have encounter in school is a form of persuasion. I and maybe some of you did not notice that, so I’m glad that the author pointed that out.

 

 

 

02/9/16

Yorkville is Chugging Along

The headline “Yorkville is Chugging Along” by Kathleen Lucadamo describes a concept that may have some similar characteristics, but not identical. First of all, the article is about a new train station opening on Second Avenue in the Upper East Side. Yorkville runs from 79th to 96th Street between East River and Third Avenue. This got people excited that even investors from overseas are buying the properties near the neighborhood. For a long time, residents have complained about the poor transportation in the area. Residents cannot wait for the opening of stores and restaurants. There are even apartment bidding wars. The prices of apartments are rising as well, comparing to 2013 from $1.88 million to $1.95 million.

The phrase “chugging” is usually a train terminology. “Chugging” is a rhythmic engine sound. However, Lucadamo made a twist to it by saying Yorkville is “chugging along”. When I think of “chugging along”, I think of moving forward and being up to speed. In this case, chugging along in a metaphorical sense is making progress when it is not referring to the train. The two ideas are Yorkville and trains chugging. Literally, there will be trains on Second Avenue. At the same time, Yorkville is prospering due to the subway station.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/yorkville-is-chugging-along-1454108366

 

02/9/16

The Egg = The Sperm

I believe her primary argument is that the egg and the sperm has a mutual relationship. It is not that the sperm is superior to the egg or vice-versa. Without the sperm, a woman cannot produce a baby. Without the egg, a man will not have a child. Therefore, there should not be a fight about who does the more “active” part because they are equally as important. Overall, I enjoyed the reading. It was straightforward and easy to understand. It reminds me of when a couple argues about who has a bigger part in making the baby. Just because “the normal human male may manufacture several hundred million sperm per day”, it does not mean that the female is weak, with “only a single gamete each month” (486).

It is true that the male can produce fresh germs cells and the female degenerates; however, that does not mean that the sperm is more powerful than the egg. Gerald Schatten stated, “an egg will die within hours unless rescued by the sperm” (490). Does that go the same for the sperm, if not rescued by the egg? The reading even depicts the sperm as a heroic warrior. On the other hand, researchers at John Hopkins reveal that the egg actually traps the sperm. In this case, it shows that the egg is the “active” party. I like the analogy that the sperm is like the “key” and the egg is like the “lock” (496). I also like how the author questions that it can be reversed.

Overall, this reading opened my mind up. I usually just think of sex as the sperm and egg, and then a baby, but apparently it is a debate. Although the reading was interesting, I did not understand why eggs have only pictures, and not portraits.

Side note: A infant’s gender depends on the father’s genes. So the husband should not blame his wife for having a daughter or son.

 

 

 

02/9/16

Everybody’s a Critic. And That’s How It Should Be

In the article “Everybody’s a Critic. And That’s How It Should Be,” A.O. Scott’s main argument is that everyone is and should be a critic. Being a critic is not easy at all. Most people view critics as the ones who likes to “step” on artists’ works. However, they are actually the ones who has personal opinions/recommendations, which then turns into persuasive arguments. If there were no criticisms and whatever movies come out, everyone is satisfying with, then there will be no improvements. Criticism is great because it makes you to want to do better than before and to prove to the critics that they are wrong.

Students like me and you are also critics. Things that we write on this blog are commented by our fellow classmates. They are the one who are critiquing our works. A.O. Scott view a critic not only just an occupation, but something that everyone should be. It is a skill to have, to question other people’s works. Sharing ideas can lead better results in a movie, drama, article, performance, or play. While reading this piece, it reminds me of my philosophy class. We learn to be open-minded and accept different perspectives of an idea. We do not have to agree on everything that our classmate say, but at least be respectful and listen.

I like how the author emphasize that a critic’s primary job is to think. I totally agree with him because even if you want to criticize someone’s work, you have to have a good response. If your response is poor, no one will buy it. This might be why some critics are looked upon as snobs. We have brains for reasons, and their missions is to think. Scott said it nicely in one sentence “We have the ability to judge what we made, to argue about why we are moved, mystified, delighted or bored by any of it”. We all have our own thoughts and opinions, so let’s share them like the critics!

02/3/16

Metaphors We Live By

Using metaphors in our daily lives make us have character. A metaphor is not just plain words; it is performed, literal, and argumentative. For example, saying “His words carry little meaning” sounds much better than “his words have no analysis”. I did not notice that I have been using metaphors throughout my daily life. Almost everyday, I tell myself and others that “time is money”. However, I never realized that that is a metaphor. I actually thought that time is money. Yet, in chapter 3 page 13, it says that time isn’t really money. The time that you invested, does not equal the time you earn. You can be stuck on a word problem for hours and by the end of the day, you might still not come up with the answer. On the other hand, time is money. If you did not pay your bills or mortgage on time, you will have a fee or a higher interest to pay, respectively. In addition, why do we say “time is money”, instead of “money is time”?

I like the idea that the author touched upon about how someone is willing to argue with you is actually giving you time. I find that to be totally true. If someone has no interest in talking to you. He/she would just ignore you, and does not care about a thing you say. Thinking back to the days when I argued with my siblings, I understand that it was a form of communication and connection. I also admire the “argument is war” concept because it literally is. For example, a lawyer would try her best to argue against her opponent, and her opponent would do the same in order to win the case. They will fight to the very end to win the battle, which is the case.

This reading has enlighten me. I will be alert in my speaking, so that I will be aware of when I am using metaphors.

 

 

02/1/16

Maria Wu Cen

I am from Brooklyn. Something interesting about me is that my birthday is on March 14th, which is also Pi-day. This might be why I am good in math and was in the math major during my high school career. I like to make origami and solve puzzles. My favorite dessert is macaroon, although it is quite expensive. My New Year’s resolution is to make macaroons myself and share them with family and friends. I am looking forward to improving my writing skills and having fun with the blog.

The picture below shows a relaxing and peaceful environment. I hope my future will be as bright as the background light. I chose this because I am a peaceful person. I do not like to argue, especially for silly things. I also like to be close with nature. Being in the city is great, but at the same time, we are pretty spoiled. We have the luxury of electricity, internet, and almost everything; however, when the electricity is out, we feel like it is the end of the world. Other states such as Maine, where it is like the country/camping area, it feels different. It is a place where you can have your “alone” time and to be away from your cellphone. I only went camping once, and I loved it.

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