Creating an exhaustive document before stating a claim is much helpful than making your observations while creating a claim because this exhaustive document was able to provide us the writers more content and information. Using this information we are able to have a better understanding of what we are arguing for, thus having a stronger claim. Hengel states that, “consider thinking of your thesis at first as a question. It’s a whole lot easier to ask a question of a text than to assert a claim” (page 114), however I disagree with this statement. Asking questions would be helpful but could be answered when creating exhaustive documents after you fully analyze the text. On the other hand, creating an exhaustive document could make the rhetorical analysis process harder as it would take up more time just for creating a one or two sentence long thesis.
Abdurraqib answers the questions that Hengel asks by describing the atmosphere presented to him in the Carly Rae Jepsen concert. He analyzes how particular norms become irrelevant in the concert he went to as Jepsen’s album “Emotion” brings out the carelessness in people. He states how, “often there is shame attached to loving anyone publicly” and “Here, that shame falls into dust.” Here Abdurraqib points out the vulnerability of Jepson and what effect her music has on the crowd, thus answering the three steps/questions Hengel provides. He also describes Future and how he relates to his personal problems with his complex music style and the impact it has on him. It even distracted him from the real world for a moment as Abdurraqib is told to, “turn down the music because it’s distracting other customers.”
Erick, this is a thoughtful response to Hengel. What questions do you think you uncovered (and then answered) in the course of writing about “Adult Swim”?