Response to Swift

In the story “A Modest Proposal” Swift draws a conclusion that ‘for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick. Swift believes that there are too many poor females on the streets with far too many children at their sides. He sees the mothers of these children as useless since not being able to work. Swift makes the suggestion to keep the children until the age of about 1 and sell them as slaves for the price of 2 schillings. Swift also proposes that he sells the small children as meat; stewed, roasted, baked, or broiled.

Swift at the very end of this story makes mention that he has no intent of promoting any of what he has just written. He states that he has no children and his wife is past child bearing age. My stance of the writing is to bring light to the situation of over population and how the ‘future’ world may be affected. Also, why would were so many families having children when you seem to be having to beg for items necessary for a household?

Is Swift being logical, absolutely. I think he point is well taken throughout the entire story. I felt that he was trying to say that if you cannot support your children without your own means, without going into the streets and begging, 3,4, or 5 children hanging off your hips, then please don’t have them. Swift made a clear comparison between gaining money by getting rid of children, ie, selling them for slaves for 2 schilling. He also said there would be more food if there were fewer children…by eating them.

Swift wrote an odd and a tad bit of a creepy story yet his points were well taken. If you don’t have the resources to raise a child in this case, don’t do it!! http://grammar.about.com/od/60essays/a/modpropoessay.htm

Do Commercials Really Work?

For this blog post I am sharing a MAC makeup advertisement that I found interesting. We were supposed to view it and see if it was effective or not, and also why. Watch and enjoy! My love for makeup is borderline obsession but when first seeing this advertisement, I had no idea what it was for. MAC isn’t the cheapest beauty product in the world but when I can afford it, I buy it. I continued to watch only because of the fact that they had it setup to appear like a comic strip which is unlike any other commercial I had ever seen. They also used Wonder Woman which I knew had to be some sort of empowering "womens’ movement" propaganda. As I sat there reading the bubbles, I seen that they called the woman 'plain Janes. I knew right then and there that this was a beauty commercial. I know that everything in the world is not centered on beauty and looks but most women and even some men will not pass up the chance to look better. The use of Medusa as the evil one was pure genius and I think that MAC did a great job and catching the audience they were looking for...women who want to look their best. This commercial from MAC makeup sure made me want to go out and purchase their products in order to prevent me from looking like Medusa or a plain Jane. Every woman wants to be like Wonder Woman!

Preview of Essay #1

I picked thesis 2 even though Im sure its going to be the most commonly picked. This is what the thesis is:

Bartleby's ghostly presence in the story is the result of a breakdown of the narrator's mind. In fact, Bartleby does not exist at all as an actual scrivener, but instead represents a part of the narrator that he wishes to repress in order to become a more effective and industrious worker.

I would love a bit of feed back from what little bit Im posting from my essay. I know that its due tomorrow and this is just a little snipit but any feedback, good or otherwise would be appreciated. Goodluck everyone!!!

When the line of “I would prefer not too” would ruffle the feather of the narrator. Bartleby stayed calm, leanly composed, with not a wrinkle of agitation, no anger, impatience, or impertinence in his tone. The narrator clearly states that if there had been, he would of violently attacked. If this was an actual person or presence in room, a calm and mild manor would have more than likely made matters worse. If it is truly a repression of his mind or alter ego, then calmness or diffusing of a situation would have also made him calm down. When one person gets anger, the other doesn’t calm down; they get angry as well most of the time. If you can find peace in your mind, you can relax. I think that is what this situation is representing. With Bartleby saying, “I would prefer not too”, I think he is trying to prevent any further situations from occurring.

Bartleby the Scrivener

http://www.lekti-ecriture.com/contrefeux/local/cache-vignettes/L126xH200/arton131-d4ce2.jpg

"It is not seldom the case that when a man is browbeaten in some unprecedented and violently unreasonable way, he begins to stagger in his own plainest faith. He begins, as it were, vaguely to surmise that, wonderful as it may be, all the justice and all the reason is on the other side. Accordingly, if any disinterested persons are present, he turns to them for some reinforcement for his own faltering mind". (Par 40)

I chose this particular section of the story because I think it applies to many of us at one point or another in life. We all need reassurance and often times we sit back and wait for someone we admire with a strong sense of self assurance to have that same point of view before we speak up. If everyone else has a different perspective we often sit back and keep our mouths shut. Here is what I came up with in my analytical point of view for the above quote:

Bartleby has been scolded and never praised for any of his good doings. He seems as if he will always be insecure and weak in his thoughts and actions. This type of person usually chooses to befriend or work for someone who will always want have complete control. His constant fear of rejection and lack of self esteem will leave him feeling worthless and lonely. He will seek out confident people and will tend to live in their shadow. He might feel responsible for any words and actions that don’t have a good outcome, even apologizing for those things he isn't responsible for; having a feeling that he has caused them. Bartleby may have been so poorly treated as a child that he feels he has no good qualities to bring to the table, in turn making him appear weak and pathetic. All of this might stem from his fear of not being worthy of being listened to. Bartleby seems depressed and that of having a shy demeanor. He seems to have such failing ability to express himself that he doesn't even trust his own thoughts and is searching for everyone else’s opinion until he hears one that describes one he is comfortable with. Has no self trust hence the reason of “turning to them for some reinforcement for his own faltering mind”.



Summary vs. Analysis

Summary Vs. Analysis from terrilynmonroe