Multi-Genre Project

For my project, I will focus on the problem of substance abuse in our society

I will create a PowerPoint presentation and an analytical paper that correlates with the PowerPoint.

The target audience of my presentation will include everyone in our society as this can affect everyone on some level.

The purpose of my presentation will shed light on the topic and hopefully spread awareness.

Journal Response to "Just Walk on By..."

Racism is a problem in our country today which is made apparent in Brent Staple’s “Just Walk on By...” I for one am shocked of how many stories Brent was able to speak of from personal experience. It is just absolutely insane some of the stuff that has happened to him, such as having a dog nearly sent after him just for standing in a jewellery store, or even getting mistaken for a burglar in his own place of work. This is an ongoing problem that will not cease until society learns to grow up and forget the unjust stereotypes that have been placed upon so many innocent people. Sterotypes based off a person’s physical appearance is simply a dumb thing to do since it is not a person’s body that causes someone to make bad decisions, but someone’s mind.

I thought Brent’s full title to his paper was interesting because of the implied notion that he was going to “alter public space,” which is exactly what he did. Many people would change their actions just from the sight of him. A perfect example being of what Brent describes happening during late nights on a subway platform, or when people cross the street to go around him rather than pass him. Going this far to avoid someone just because of the way they look or the way they dress is only playing to the childish mistake of judging a book by its’ cover. This type of thinking only alienates people and has no constructive value whatsoever. Racism is something that we need to do away with if we are to survive as a society. Even though people may be divided physically by a physical trait, we are also united physically by our connection to each other as the human race. The sooner people figure this out, the better.

Ezekiel 25:17 and Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction was a 1994 crime-drama directed by Quentin Tarantino and follows an intertwining story of two gangsters, a boxer, and couple of thieves who rob a diner. The film features a number of well-known celebrities including Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield, John Travolta as Vincent Vega, Tim Roth as Ringo, and Amanda Plummer as Yolanda. Used repeatedly in this movie is a fictional bible quote titled Ezekiel 25:17. This is spoken by Jules Winnfield and is as states:
"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness; for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."
Through analysis of this passage, this quote can be used to categorize characters into various roles and describe their fate. These characters include: Jules, Vincent, Ringo and Yolanda.
The first sentence of this bible passage mentions several elements that need to be explored, specifically speaking the “righteous man,” and the “evil man.” We can assume that the righteous man follows a path similar to something of honorable and moral qualities as the term “righteous” is defined by such words. Opposite of the “righteous man,” is the “evil man” and can symmetrically be assumed that he possesses the qualities opposite of the righteous; those qualities being immoral. Reading further, we learn the evil man is said to “beset on all sides” the righteous man. In other words, the goals of the righteous are thwarted by evil. This presents the idea of a natural conflict as the actions of the evil man will, in some way, hinder the actions of the righteous man.
Upon reading further, the bible passage portrays the characteristics of the righteous man, although this connection is not directly made. Being that “charity” and “good will” are the characteristics listed, they can only be applied to someone deemed moral. Of course, this pertains solely to the righteous man and not the evil man since he is the only one of the two who practices fine morals. Because it is determined that these qualities belong to the righteous, it can also be decoded that he and the Sheppard the same person; it is his natural tendency to guide people through immorality, or “valley of darkness.” These people guided by the righteous man are inevitably the “lost children” spoken of.
Moving further into the passage, the fate of the evil man is exposed. Since this is a quote from the bible, it is inferred to be God speaking and He clearly states that anyone who stands in the path of the “righteous man” will be struck down. Because the “evil man” blocks the path of the “righteous man,” it can be concluded that he will be put to death by God’s will.
Lastly in this passage is the fourth sentence which states: “And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.” Compared to the rest of the quote, this is by far the most simple and direct sentence. It means that God shows himself through the death of the selfish and evil and their deaths are simply God’s will put to action.
This passage that is repeated throughout the movie can be applied to several of the main characters and in turn, provide an explanation of their fate. Through analysis of this passage, it is possible to classify the characters into the three categories spoken of: the righteous man who guides lost children, the evil man who exists to stand in the way of the righteous man, and finally the lost children who seek guidance. In addition, the fates of each type of person described are also certain. The righteous man has God’s favor, the evil man will perish, and the lost children will transform into evil unless guided by the righteous man.
The Sheppard in this movie is undoubtedly Jules Winnfield. Jules undergoes a transformation from evil to righteous and they can be seen attempting to guide the “lost children” spoken of. Jules’s transformation begins with his witnessing of the miracle that saved his life. Bullets fired from an extremely close range appeared to pass through Jules, leaving him unmarked and unharmed and it was at that point where he begins to see how he has been wrong and begins to turn his life around. From that point on, he decides he is done with the business and is determined to resign. With this resignation, Jules is transformed into the righteous man and later attempts to guide the lost children (Ringo and Yolanda) further along in the film. It is the righteous man who has God’s favor and is the reason Jules is not struck down, which could not be said of his partner Vincent Vega.
The character of Vincent Vega aligns closest with the “evil man” spoken of in Ezequiel 25:17. He and Jules both begin the film as evil men, and because he ignored the miracle that happened and failed to become the righteous man, Vincent was killed off in the film. When Jules told Vincent that he was quitting the business because of the miracle that was just witnessed, Vincent completely ignored this and chose not to think anything of it. Vincent indeed had a chance to change and decided not to grasp it, which is why he perished. Furthermore, the fact that Jules tried to mend the error in Vincent’s way, showed just how quickly he transformed from the “evil man” into the righteous.
Last are Ringo and Yolanda who are the “lost children” in the film. It is when they attempt to rob the diner they are eating at when they meet Jules and are guided by him. It is at that point in the film when all of Jules, Vincent, Ringo and Yolanda are in a standoff position with guns pointed from each party pointed at every person. Jules delivers a convincing speech to Ringo and Yolanda and exposes the error in their lives which essentially disarms the situation, leaving Ringo and Yolanda alive and on the path of righteousness. Ringo and Yolanda would most certainly have perished if it were not for Jules and his newfound nature to guide the “lost children” he meets.
The bible passage Ezekiel 25:17 appears multiple times in the film Pulp Fiction, and through analysis it can give reason to the fate of several main characters. This passage affectively breaks down the characters into three categories: the “righteous man”, the “evil man”, and the “lost children.” Each of these categories has different fates tied to them which each are experienced throughout the film. Without this passage, however fictional, Pulp Fiction would have much of its meaning lost and simply would not be the same.

Rhetorical Analysis

For the next assignment in English 111, I have chosen to rhetorically analyze the movie Pulp Fiction and impact the quote from the fictional passage "Ezekiel 25:17" has on the movie. This passage is repeated several times throughout the film and, through analysis, it can be used to describe the fate of each character.

Hasty Generalizations

                One of the most common illogical fallacy is the “hasty generalization.” This illogical fallacy means that one person jumps to a conclusion using evidence that cannot necessarily applied to the person or thing. A common occurrence of hasty generalization is prejudice. For example, if someone assumes that if a student attending Miami University likes hockey because all other Miami University students they have met like hockey, then a hasty generalization has been made based off prejudice. 

Response to "Residence Halls"

                After reading Kelly McCormick’s “Residence Halls” I can conclude that she in fact makes a very convincing and valid argument.  McCormick compares and contrasts what is expected of an average college dorm room by using claims obtained from the brochure on dorm room living.  I believe that her argument obtains its validity from the real-life stories that are tied in with it. She is constantly injecting personal experiences into her writing which not only makes her argument more believable, but much easier to read.  Furthermore, Kelly did an excellent job picking her topic because dorm rooms are something that the average first-year has to deal with. Because this experience is so common among all college students, it is easy to relate to and verify for ourselves (which should be true in any writing and its’ target audience).

                Although I thought Kelly McCormick wrote a very entertaining and interesting piece, I also believe some improvements can be made. McCormick has a very naturalistic way of writing—a positive thing—but she kept referring back to various elements of text as explained in “What Is Rhetoric” (such as ethos, logos, and pathos). Obviously she had to use these elements of writing in order to make a convincing rhetoric, but it takes away from the writing when they are directly mentioned.

Overall I found Kelly McCormick’s “Residence Halls” an enjoyable read. Despite minor flaws, I believe makes a strong argument due in part because of the topic chosen and the direct comparison of the brochure with personal experiences.

Thick Description

The Spot

Another uneventful Saturday evening was slipping through my fingers as myself and three friends sat lazily in our quad.  The channels on the TV were being flipped through so quickly that I could barely make out what was on, but it didn’t bother me; television was truly the last thing on my mind. Without warning, one of the room’s occupants blurted out the suggestion to take a walk. I jumped at this idea because familiarizing ourselves with my new home sounded infinitely better than watching yet another episode of Deadliest Catch.

We threw our shoes on, exited the room and climbed down the three flights of stairs leading out the back of our residence hall. Pushing the door open, our group of four stepped into the dusk and was instantly greeted by a wave of heat. This brutal transition from our cool interior dorm to the outside would normally have made us think twice, but today we were fueled by boredom.  

The idea was to explore West Campus, since none of us had ever been there.  We crossed the street and stepped onto a path leading through a field, empty except for several Frisbee golf cages scattered around. It felt good to be out of the dorm and into nature. The setting sun painted the sky full of orange and purple and illuminated the path that guided our way from cut grass into thick forest, which we plunged into curiously. Engulfed by woodland, the path led us to a narrow metal-worked footbridge which we crossed to find yet another change of scenery.

None of us were quite sure what to make of what we saw. In front of us, constructed out of stone, was what appeared to be a miniature stadium. Benches worked out of rock were curved into a half-circle all surrounding one spot that I can only imagine would be used for speaking. This miniature lecture hall would be the perfect place for a professor to host class as a treat to deserving students. The four of us remained at this spot until the sky grew dark, and then reluctantly found our way back across the path using light from tall-standing lamps, previously unlit.  Thus far in my Miami career, I consider this to be a truly unique place on campus that I know will be visited again.