1. The main audience for these essays are first my instructors and second for my future schools and employers. 2. My purpose for writing these essays are to enhance my flexibility as a writer. I will be able to accomplish different styles in writing because I’ve learned how to gear my writing towards a specific audience. 3. The revisions that were made for the narrative essay were more description of my surrounding so that my audience would be able to visualize what it was like to be in that moment. For the rhetorical essay it was a better summary of what I had read to help my audience understand what the short story was about. For the issue exploration essay is was a more information on the viewpoints of hypnosis. With all these revisions that were made, I was able to better help my audience see, understand and also to inform. 4. My writing has changed a lot during this semester. I always struggled with writing, I still do, however I find it easier to start writing because I know that even in my first draft isn’t that good, I can work and edit and revise it to make it better. Another thing that has changed this semester is my understanding on writing to a specific audience. There are the two major changes to my writing. 5. Writing has never been a favorite subject of mine, and it was because of lack of knowledge. I find writing enjoyable now that I have a better understanding of the different styles and a better understanding of the basics to writing.
Hungry for More
As I look at the task ahead I am somewhat nervous, but here I am, I can do this. I can feel the adrenaline start to pump through my body. I sure hope that I can do this. I look at my possible route and am amazed that people do this with ease. I see the way that people have already gone and I question if I can do the same. Looking down I realize that my feet already hurt and I haven’t even started. Thinking back to me standing on top of the climb attaching the rope and being terrified at how high I was. It is a perfect day, not to hot and not to cold. I feel the heat of the sun on my back, its probably 90 degrees with a cool breeze; it is a beautiful day. I can hear the chatter of my friends behind me, “you got this”, “you just have to trust me, I won’t let you fall”, “Don’t worry you can do this”. I think to myself “They are right, I can do this!” Here I go, trying to get a good grip with my hands, looking for a place to put my feet. I start to inch my way up, moving my right hand to find somewhere to hold on to, got it! My three fingers fit perfectly onto a small and sandy handhold. I instantly look down for a place to put my foot, while thinking “I hope I don’t slip” but I quickly pushed that thought out of my head. I didn’t want to think about falling and scraping my body against the rocks. Next is my left hand, I feel against the rock trying to find another good handhold. I can barely feel the edge of the rock and it seems to be a good hold, but I am barely able to put my fingertips on the edge. I am hoping that I will be able to hold for a few seconds while I look for a new foothold. At this point I am only five or six feet off the ground and I can already feel the muscles in my arm start to shake. “How can I be this tired already? I just started.” I continue to climb upward, constantly looking for better places to put my hands and feet. As I lean away from the rock looking upwards for new holds, I feel the burning sensation shoot down my forearms from my fingertips clenching the rock. My hands are starting to sweat; it gets harder and harder to grip the rock. I reach my left hand around to my back to find the chalk bag. I dip my hand into the bag of chalk powder; I swoosh it over my fingertips and palm, then I quickly put my hand back on the rock and then do the same with my right hand. What a difference it makes now that both of my hands are coated in chalk, I am able to grip the rock again. I hadn’t noticed before but the red sandstone was quite hot, from the desert sun beating down on it all day. Even in the shade the rock is still hot. I have to focus, my goal it to make it to the top, touch the chain and repel down. Looking up I have about fifteen feet to go, looking down I am probably twenty feet from the ground. I again hear the voices of my friends, “keep going!”, “You’re almost to the top”, “you got this!” I can see a ledge about five feet from me, I think to myself “If I can make it to that ledge I can finish this climb.” Again looking for a closer handhold, I look to my right and see one, next is my foot. As I inch toward the top that ledge is almost within reach. Then, I grabbed the ledge, it felt amazing, being able to grab it with my entire hand, and easily able to hold my weight. I pull my self up and I am able to get my left hand above the ledge to another perfect handhold. I am now able to pull myself higher toward the top, touch the chain and complete my first ever rock climb. I am now high enough to bring my foot up to the ledge. This almost shouldn’t count because getting my foot on that ledge allowed me to stand up completely! I can now stretch out and touch the chain! My first ever rock climb done! Now its time to repel, as I look down I realize how high I am. All I have to do is let go of the rock; the thought of letting go fills me with fear. This is the first time that I’ve ever done this, do I really trust my partner? What happens if the rope doesn’t hold?, Is my equipment secure? So many questions race through my mind. It was a terrifying experience to let go of the rope and trust all of my weight on the rope, but it held me! It was so much fun jumping off of the rock and dropping six feet at a time, as I repelled. Finally, I reach the bottom and take off my rock climbing shoes, what a relief! As I sit there thinking about the climb that I just accomplished, I realize how tired I am. My arms and legs are shaking like crazy now that the adrenaline is wearing off, but I did it, I survived my first rock climbing experience, and it has left me hungry for more.
Behemoth in a Bathrobe
Behemoth in a Bathrobe- The Small Voice of Converses with the American Psyche was published on February 4th 2003, in the Christian Science Monitor. Carla Seaquist is the writer of this essay, and also a common known author, playwright and commentator. Post 9/11, Seaquist has centered her writing on opinion editorials for national newspapers, and has since published three plays and two novels. In Behemoth in a Bathrobe the main idea is portraying the American Psyche through a creature also known as a Behemoth. She is trying to inform the American people that we have reverted to our pre 911 state of mind, and need to have hope for our future. The Behemoth in a Bathrobe is a compelling article because of Seaquist’s use of motivation, ethical appeal and the overcoming of complacency. The text begins by the still small voice, also known as the conscience, forcing the behemoth (America) to listen. “The conscious is an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.” In this article it is viewed as a guide for behemoth, and is trying to persuade America to become better. The conscience sees what is wrong with the behemoth and is tired of hearing the words “I can’t.” In other words, Seaquist is trying to tell America that it is time to make a change in the ways we are living. It is brought to attention that the behemoth is complacent where it is at, watching trash TV, that is all about violence and sex, and not paying attention to the thing happening within the country. Seaquist brings up that the underlying factor for the state of the behemoth is fear. After 9/11 we developed a fear that is new to America, a fear that we feel we aren’t safe in our own country. Even the behemoth says that he “feels like the titanic heading for the iceberg” (Seaquist, 300). Seaquist uses motivation and pathos to encourage the behemoth throughout the text. The behemoth questions where the remote control is so he can watch TV, but the conscience states that he is the remote control. This is a motivating part of the text in which the behemoth actually starts to respond to the questions or statements of the conscience. The conscience brings up avoidance and how we shop, see celebrities as heroes and feed our faces to avoid the things that are really happening around us. Another example of pathos is when Seaquist mentions that America used 911 as an excuse to be afraid for far too long. It is shameful that America stayed quiet while our retirement savings were compromised, we didn’t vote in the midterm elections and worst of all we said absolutely nothing when we geared up for war against Iraq. Pathos is again used when the conscience brings up other historical wars and how those brought fear but the fear was never in the homeland. Ethos and different ethical appeals were used several times throughout the text. It was first introduced from the very beginning in the way that Seaquist used the word “Behemoth”. Behemoth is a quote from the bible, appealing to the ethics of those who study the Bible. Ethos is used when the conscience quotes Emily Dickenson and Ralph Waldo Emerson to America’s earliest writers. The conscience specifically quotes, “a zero at the bone” from Dickenson’s “A narrow fellow in the grass.” Because these are reliable and well-known sources, using ethos throughout the text helps the audience better understand and are convinced of what Seaquist is trying to portray. The behemoth throughout the article relates to America in the way that we are complacent as a nation. Too many times throughout the text the behemoth randomly gets distracted or changes the subject of the conversation. This relates perfectly to the situation in America. There are many instances where America is slowly making progress but gets distracted with unimportant things, i.e. trash TV and celebrities. The conscience does a good job at staying on task and is determined to make the behemoth realize that there is a need for change. By the end of the conversation the conscience is asking the behemoth to take off the bathrobe or in other words to stop being complacent. This is where the text ends but a few sentences earlier the behemoth wants to keep talking, indicating that he understands it is time to change. Seaquist did a great job organizing the text and making it easy for the audience to read and comprehend. I thought it was an interesting way to write a short essay, but it was intriguing and a good way to capture the audiences attention. The type of language that was used was very bold. Seaquist uses the conscience to raise questions and point out the problems that the behemoth faces but doesn’t directly answer them; leaving the behemoth to think of the answers and actions that should be taken. This seems very effective in triggering a response from the behemoth, at first the behemoth doesn’t pay much attention and is easily distracted but half why through the text, the behemoths starts to ask questions and then the conscience doesn’t answer the question, but poses a counter question for the behemoth to answer. Overall, the text is very well organized and effective in its underlying meaning. The layout of the behemoth and the conscience is a powerful way to reach the audience. Almost all of the problems that the conscience brings up are in the beginning, which is disheartening, but the behemoth was able to end on a very positive note stating that the conversation was inspiriting. Seaquist is effective in getting the attention of the audience and giving example of things that need to be changed. She was able to do this with the use of pathos and ethos throughout the text, but the final words are “now, the bathrobe?...”(Seaquist, 301) which shows that the conscience has done all it can, it is now up to the behemoth to take action and remove the bathrobe of complacency.