TOW #3 - Why Aren’t We Protesting Miss America?

            This text is about the problems and developments of the Miss America Pageant. It relates feminism to the pageant’s development, showing how the pageant has developed over the years, changing the expectations and the goals of each woman. Amanda Litman wrote this piece. Amanda Litman is a feminist – that’s why she wrote this piece. The fact that she is a feminist gives her credibility in this piece because she has a defined viewpoint. She is also an established author, with many pieces of writing under her name.

            The audience of this essay is feminists who don’t know much about the developments of the Miss America Pageant. I say this because it placates the female activists by assuring them that the pageant has become less superficial. The contestants are scored on more than just their looks. This essay was written a day before the two thousand eleven Miss America Pageant. Because the pageant was coming up, it must have been on the author’s mind.

            The biggest rhetorical device was used at the very end of the essay. Litman wrote, “Do you agree?” Asking a rhetorical question at the end of a piece makes the audience really think about what they just read. It helps them understand to form an opinion, instead of just passively reading. I think using this rhetorical question at the end of the paper helps Litman achieve her purpose because it makes the ideas shared really resonate with the readers.

            I think the author’s purpose is to reassure her audience that the competition is not as degrading as it once was. I personally do not think Amanda Litman achieved her purpose. Instead of reassuring me that Miss America has developed for the better, I found myself thinking that it raised the bar instead of lowered it. Now, instead of superficial beauty, of a certain kind, Miss America contestants must be smart, talented, and involved in societal issues. While these may be good things to be, it only raises the bar of society’s expectations for women.

TOW #2 - Beauty and the Beast Image

            This image shows how sometime people think women should live to be submissive and unimportant. Or that women shouldn’t take leadership roles or think independently. This picture is from Beauty and the Beast. Belle was known as the girl who always had her nose in a book, and Gaston was the terrifying man with the town wrapped around his finger. Disney movies always have deeper meanings than the obvious love story, and the purpose of Beauty and the Beast is to show that a bad guy could be anyone, and over time the monster can become human while a human becomes a monster. Gaston is that monstrous human.

            I personally believe that this moment serves to show the younger generation how hard it is to be a woman throughout history. The audience of this movie tends to be children, but the message is suitable for all ages. This scene was in the beginning of the movie. Beauty and the Beast takes place in an unspecified time period, as the technology is more futuristic than its surroundings.

            This image uses the rhetorical device of juxtaposition, as it shows two different points of view. Gaston is against female progression, while Belle is disgusted with Gaston’s ideas, and completely disagrees. This shows what the real world is like, as there will always be people who are against progression. I think the desired effect is reached, as the audience can see the two ideas clearly.

            The author’s purpose in writing this exchange is to show how a human can become a monster, and female oppression is a regular thing that occurred in every time period and everywhere in the world. I think the author achieved their purpose because it shows how cruel Gaston was, and because the rest of the town loved him, they were likely to back him up and oppress Belle with him.

IRB #1 Intro

For my first IRB, I will read Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser. I am reading this book because I think American eating habits are very interesting, and this book will shed some light on the subject.

TOW #1 - Cheer As A Sport

The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators wrote the text I chose for my first TOW. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators is a safety organization that was formed to develop safety rules, which would guide cheerleading programs.

            This piece states the definition of a sport, and describes the effects of cheerleading being considered either a sport or an activity. The piece went on to classify cheerleading as an “athletic activity.”

            This essay was meant to inform non-cheerleaders about the effects of improperly classifying the “athletic activity.” The essay was written after the Women’s Sports Foundation listed elements defining a sport. I would say it was not written for cheerleaders because it explains basic components of cheer.

The author of this piece used denotation. They defined the parts of cheer, and wrote the essay without emotion or bias. This shows that the author could be taken seriously, without getting too caught up one way or another.

            The author’s purpose was to convince readers that school cheerleading (not all star cheerleading) is a team, but falls under the classification of athletic activity. I would say that the author did achieve their purpose. They told readers that cheer requires “the strength of football,” which is a well-established sport. They also established the activity side of the title “athletic activity.” The author wrote that high school cheerleading’s primary purpose is not to participate in competitions. This is one of the criteria for sports, so high school cheerleading is just short of being entirely a sport. While anyone who watches my high school cheerleading team can see the athleticism involved, for know I’ll have to roll with being an athletic activity.