F.W. #3

I have the best job in the world. I coach gymnastics for little kids. The youngest ones are probably five or six and the oldest ones are thirteen. I love them all, but the little ones are definitely the most amusing, because of the things they say and do. I remember the first day of class one of the coaches told them we were doing conditiong and asked them if they knew what that meant. One little girl raised her hand and said "It's air that blows on you when it's really hot in the summer."
Last semester there was one little boy named Johnny. On the first day of class Johnny, who was five at the time, came up to me with an outstretched hand and said, "I don't believe we've met before. I'm Johnny, what's your name?" Two minutes after our "formal" introductions he ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug a little boy could give. I knew then that little Johnny was smitten. Every day he had class he'd hug me probably ten times and he would always make sure to sit as close to me as he possibly could during stretching. As the weeks went by he went as far as blowing me kisses.
This semester Johnny is gone, but there is a new crop of kids who entertain me every night I work. Just the other day one little girl gave me a card. Now, all of the kids knew that my older sister had a baby the week before, but I think she got confused between last week and this week as to who actually had the baby. The envelope was decorated with tons of stickers and in between them was her kindergarten handwriting, reading things like "I love you" and "I can't wait to see you with your baby" and "I'm so happy for you and your baby." Inside the envelope was a simple piece of paper, which read, "I'm so proud of you." It was all I could do to keep from smiling too much. Luckily she just thought I was really really happy about my baby!

R.A.

For my rhetorical analysis this week I went engagement ring shopping with my rooommate's boyfriend. We went to Zales in the University mall.

1. The argument was to buy a certain engagement ring.

2. The audience was my roommate's boyfriend Lane, a poor, love-struck college student.

3. The saleswoman targeted her audience in a number of different ways. She tried to use a lot of logos, by telling him the practical reasons for buying a certain kind of ring. She talked about the clarity and the number of imperfections relative to the size. When he didn't really respond to logic she moved on to ethos. She brought out her favorite ring and talked about how she wished she could buy it, but she first had to find someone who wanted to marry her. She was trying to make him feel lucky that he had found someone he wanted to marry. Then she started talking about where he was from and found out that she used to date his cousin. She talked about his family for about 15 minutes. By doing this she was trying to establish a kind of friendship so he would feel obligated to to buy this ring. I don't think her argument was sufficient. She didn't really have too much evidence to support the ring. I felt like I knew more about diamonds than she did, and I don't even know that much. Her argument seemed pretty typical, though. She didn't really use any crazy reasons. Her argument was relatively accurate. She just seemed to leave out a lot of information. I really don't think her argument was relevant. She tried to sell him by getting to know him and establishing a friendship within twenty minutes. She didn't really read her audience in that way. He is obviously a very straightforward and upfront guy who just wanted information. He didn't want to talk about his family when he was trying to buy an engagement ring.

4. I really don't think her argument was effective. Well, I know it's not, because he's not going to buy the ring that she suggested. I really think she talked about herself too much and didn't really read her audience as well as she could have, which is so important. Research is also really important and she didn't do as much as could have, especially for having a job at a jewelry store.

R.A. Democracy in Asia

1. The argumement is this paper is for rule-of-law education to continue in Cambodia

Taking away rule-of-law education in Cambodia will harm the growth of democracy in Cambodia, because taking away rule-of-law education in Cambodia will make Cambodians less educated concerning democracy and the rule-of-law.

2. The audience is people on the conference committee concerning this issue or maybe people who have an influence on the conference committee concerning this issue.

3. The author uses a lot of logos to target the audience. Obviously the people he is writing to are very intelligent. He gives a lot of background information, methodically making his case. He clearly explains his reasons and he explains how taking away rule-of-law education will only exacerbate the situation. His audience is probably very interested in his credibility also. He is a law professor and directer of the Cambodia Law and Democracy program at USF. He obviously knows a lot about this issue. probably even more than the conference committee who will ultimately make the decision, because he is constantly studying the situation in Cambodia. I'm not sure if his argument is sufficient. His argument does make sense, but he doesn't have tons of evidence that what he's saying is true. Congress thinks that the education didn't work, because Hun Sen was victorious in Cambodia, really setting back democractic progress. The author never really addresses why he thinks that happened. His argument is typical, though. Nothing he says is far-fetched or crazy at all. He is very accurate, because he is getting information from the best sources possible. He has a quote from the Asian Wall Street Journal, which would probably be very informed about this situation. He doesn't rely too heavily on his quotes, either. He is relevant, because he is talking about concerns that his audience probably has. He understands what they are looking for.

4. I think his argument is effective. His main problem is his lack of hard evidence, but that kind of thing is hard in a situation like this, because no one really knows what would happen either way.

T.A. #2 Introductions

Opening my closet for the first time can be somewhat of a shock for most people. Not so much the clothes that are inside, but the shoes. All kinds of shoes. High heels and kitten heels. Wedges and flats. Boots and sandals in every color imaginable. Some have called this slight obsession (their words, not mine) unhealthy. "Ellie," they say, "I've never even seen you wear most of these. Shouldn't you be investing your money in something more substantial?" I usually just roll my eyes and change the subject, because I know they will never understand. Sure, I could be using that money for other things. I really could have used some of it last month when I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and kind of, sort of nicked that scary guy's truck with my car (I still stand by my original position, by the way. He hit me. ). But, the thing is, shoes and I have a history. And who am I to break that strong bond? My black boots were there for me when Dave broke up with me and I needed to retalliate by "stepping" on his foot. My red heels were there for me when I saw him at Rob and Tiffany's engagement party and I needed to look AMAZING. And I still firmly believe that the pink ballet flats are the reason I got my job. Shoes have never let me down, which is more than I can say for most of my friends. So until they do my exploding closet will just have to continue scaring people.

C.W. #2

I've always been told that I'm a good storyteller, so I thought for my free write this week I would see if I can write stories as well as I can tell them. Maybe all my power is in the delivery? Perhaps my facial expressions? We shall see...

Once upon a time I was five years old. And I loved boys. A lot. Most girls tell stories about being chased by boys around the playground and that did happen to me on occasion, but most of the time I took matters into my own hands. One night I really really took matters into my own hands.
My parents had some family friends over for a barbeque that summer night. One of the families had a son my age who I was absolutely in love with. His name was Mark, he had brown hair and brown eyes, and he was tall, probably about 3' 5". I decided that Mark was a good thing that I couldn't just let get away, so I planned my proposal to him all evening.
When it got dark I made sure we were out on the porch together. The sky was full of stars and the swimming pool had the reflection of the pool in it. Could it have been any more romantic? I waited until I felt that the moment was right and then I simply asked him: "Mark, will you marry me?"
Silence.
And then to my shock a one-word answer: "No."
I couldn't believe it. "Why," I asked, "would you pass up this opportunity? You have to get married one day and you might as well choose me while I'm still available."
For some reason my logic did not register in his five-year old mind. He stood by his answer and I stood by the pool dumbfounded.
Fifteen years later I ran into his parents at my sister's wedding reception. "Kylie," they said, "remember when you proposed to our son? We really should get you two on a date, you'd be perfect together!"
My answer? "I think he had his chance."

R.A.

I couldn't find the ad to post on here, so I'll just try to describe it. It is a Rolex ad, showing just the wrist of someone wearing winter gloves and wearing the watch. In their hand they are holding the reins to a pack of dogs that look like huskies and the background is mountains and snow. The words say: OYSTER PERPETUAL EXPLORER II: In the land of the midnight sun, the Rolex Explorer II allows expedition leaders to remain oriented to day and night. A direct descendent of the legendary Rolex watches that extend the limits of man and technology, few environments are too extreme for the Explorer II. I found this ad in Ski Magazine.

1. The argument is to buy this Rolex watch. 

2. The target audience is wealthy skiiers. The whole magazine is about expensive places to ski, expensive skis, and other ways to spend money while you are off skiing. These people are probably in their 40s or 50s. They still have jobs, but they really like to go on skiing vacations and feel like they are adventurous.

3. ethos= It is a credible ad, because Rolex is a very well-known and well-respected maker of watches. Obviously we know that that this will be a quality watch. The question is whether or not the readers will be willing to spend the money to buy this watch.

pathos= Like a lot of advertisements, emotion is the driving force behind this one. The audience loves the winter outdoors, so what better way to convince them to buy this watch than to see someone in the winter outdoors wearing this watch? The hand wearing this watch is holding the reins to a pack of huskies, which is a very adventurous thing to do. This could help convince the audience of being adventurous if they bought this watch.

logos= Logic is used, because the ad tells the readers how it is important it is to "remain orientated day and night." You need a watch to tell the time, so you might as well get this one!

4. I think the ad is pretty effective for the target audience, because they like nice things and they want to feel like they are adventurous and daring outdoorsmen (or women). This watch will help them achieve that goal. Plus, the ad is very slick and classy, something else they obviously like. 

T.A.

WATCO getting married after knowing someone for only a month?

Getting married after knowing someone for only a month (A) decreases the chances of your marriage working out (B), because getting married after knowing someone for only a month (A) decreases the chance that you'll be sure you are meant for each other (C).

Audience: marriage hungry BYU students


WATCO skipping a day of school to go on a weekend trip?

Skipping a day of school to go on a weekend trip (A) increases overall scholastic productivity (B), because taking a break from the stress of school (A') re-energizes and refreshes you (C).


Audience: students leery of taking any time off of school


WATCO moving BYU to Florida?

Moving BYU to Florida (A) would increase student learning (B), because having a warm school year (A') would encourage students to get out of their beds and walk outside to school (C).

Audience: BYU administration

C.W. #1

Once upon a time there was a teenaged girl. We'll call her Smiley. Now, on the surface Smiley may have seemed like your typical sixteen-year old. She went to school, she drove a car (not without incidents, but that is a story for another time), and she talked on the phone endlessly. No one really knows what she was talking about for all of those hours every single night. It really is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time.

What made Smiley different from the rest of her school-going, scary car-driving, nonstop phone-talking friends was the fact that her life really was not centered on any of those things. They were a part of it, yes, and if you had asked her she probably would not have wanted to give up any one of them. (No, not even the school part. Yet another mystery of our time.) But take away one of those things and she would have survived. What set Smiley apart from her peers was the one thing that could not be taken away.

Could it be food? Water? Love? No, Smiley did not care about those things. Well, she did, but she did not need them. What, you ask? That makes no sense at all. Of course she needed food and water or she would not be alive. And all of us need love. Isn't that what every song played on the radio is saying?

Scientifically speaking, Smiley did need these things. But they were secondary. She did not get up in the morning because she could not wait to have some water. She woke up because of gymnastics. She did not eat breakfast because she loved food. She ate it because she needed energy to do gymnastics. And love? The word only begins to describe how she felt about this thing that some may call a hobby. For her it was much more than a sport, much more than just a part of her life. It was, in fact, what she lived for.

But, as we know all too well, life is about change. Sometimes we choose this change, but most of the time it is thrust upon us. Smiley knew that things would change eventually. Her body wouldn't be able to handle the demands of the sport forever. But she couldn't have predicted, wouldn't have wanted to have predicted, how soon that change would actually come.