TOW #21 - Rapists

            This text was written about a Reddit thread explaining the rapists’ point of view. Katie J.M. Baker wrote the article. Baker has written many articles on jezebel.com. She is also a national reporter for BuzzFeed and is stationed in New York.

            The article discusses how rapists do occasionally feel remorse, as well as cite statistics that say most victims know their sexual abusers. The audience is the general public, as most people are familiar with the problem of rape in our society. The context of this piece is the growing feminist movement. More people are beginning to speak up against rape, using outlets such as twitter’s #YesAllWomen.

            Baker uses juxtaposition to compare how some rapists do not care about their victims, while others do feel remorse and even understand that their victims do not want what is being forced upon them. This shows readers that #NotAllMen are bad guys, and that some people will show compassion. The article also reminds readers how not all rapists are men, and women can also rape.

            The author’s purpose was to suggest that we stop assuming that “boys will be boys,” and that it is okay to hyper-sexualize people. Bake reminds people that rape culture is a real and prominent issue in society. Her purpose was a little bit fuzzy, as there were times where it felt like she was sympathizing with the rapists. Because of this, I would argue that her purpose was not crystal clear or fully achieved.

TOW #20 - Wild

            My IRB, Wild, From Lost To Found On the Pacific Crest Trail, seems very similar to Eat Pray Love. Written by Cheryl Strayed and Elizabeth Gilbert respectively, both books are memoirs that begin with a divorce that pushes these women to life changing adventures.

            Cheryl Strayed, an author who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, wrote Wild. Her story began when her mother died, moved on to her divorce, and described her hike. Strayed is an award-winning author who has written four books.

            This book was written for entertainment, not information, so it has no specific information. However, there are some word choices and minor details that show that children should not read this book. Strayed did not publish her book immediately after her journey. The book was published in 2012, at which point the author was 43. During the memoir, Strayed was 26. I suppose she felt that her story should be heard.

            This entire book is a narrative, which leads to ethos. Readers believe what Strayed writes because they understand that this is her personal adventure, so she must know what she is talking about. Her purpose is simply to share her story, and readers believe with what she is saying. It is not an argument or an opinion, so we do not agree or disagree, but we can understand her experience and feel sympathy for her pain.

            The author’s purpose in Wild was to inspire readers that this too shall pass. Strayed loses her mother and essentially the rest of her family, goes through a divorce, leaves everyone and everything behind to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, and then is okay. Her life doesn’t end. The world doesn’t stop spinning. Everything worked out in the end. Even though I am only half way through the book, I would say that Strayed does accomplish her purpose. This is because we know that it will get better, and that she is healing.