This is a collection of responsive blogposts. The indicate my ability to uncover the rhetorical situation, structure of an argument, and sometimes indicate my opinion of the pieces as well.
They are organized in chronological order from the beginning of the semester through the end.
February: Rhetorical Situation of an Op-ed: Revitalizing New York City’s Aging Parks by Eli Dvorkin
https://www.gothamgazette.com/opinion/7769-revitalizing-new-york-s-aging-parks
The article Eli Dvorkin fits into Lloyd Bitzer’s classification of a rhetorical situation because Dvorkin is drawing attention to a problem they believe is solvable. Like Bitzer writes, “¥hat is a rhetorical situation? — is not an idle one.” Op Ed is also the genre, an opinion editorial relating to current affairs in NYC. The Op Ed begins with pathos, unrolling the relevance of parks to the people of the city and the role parks play in upholding New York City’s illustrious reputation. Dvorkin goes on to relay statistics of park upkeep in New York City and includes comparisons of New York’s maintenance to that of other cities. Here the author is logically proving that New York is not sufficiently caring for its parks, appealing to the readers’ logos. When the study by Center for an Urban Future they are obtaining credibility from the reader, showing they did research on the matter. All this is to say that like Bitzer points out, in rhetoric the language is applied as a “mode of action” crafted carefully to lead the audience to a certain reaction. The exigence obviously is that the city needs to obtain more money to conserve the beauty of its historic parks. The tone and audience are perhaps less obvious.
Dvorkin mentions that there is a disparity between the percent of money allocated to the public spaces versus the proportion of land delineated as public parks (the latter being much greater than the former). Nonetheless the author does positively address the existing policies by stating “Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council deserve credit for taking important steps to address parks infrastructure needs.” This creates a non-aggressive yet urgent tone by emphasizing that even still this is not enough. Lastly the author is not so much as goading the government as much as gauging the public’s response t possible fees on visiting public parks as Dvorkin writes, “For example, a small surcharge on tickets to sporting events and greens fees at city golf courses could fund routine maintenance at parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers.” Dvorkin subtly and gently requests the audience, the residents of New York City to react to a new definition of public parks that entails public playing a role in the upkeep.
March: Rhetorical Situation of a Youtube Video: Don’t Cash Crop On My Cornrows by Amandla Stenberg
Appropriation and How We Are Taught About It
In Amanda Stenberg’s video she goes on to discuss a few unique elements of black culture and how they have been appropriated in recent times. I specifically appreciated that she defined appropriation, a word often used but I think less often understood [deeply].
She defines appropriation as follows, “…appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originates but is deemed high fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves…it occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture that they are partaking in…”
The exigence of the video was this specific misunderstanding, an oblivious attitude towards the appropriation that occurs daily in our biggest cultural hits. Her tone is informed, informative, and respectful. The genre I think is vlog though I am not the “hippest” girl around and don’t really know the various types of youtube videos and what distinguishes them. The audience is teenagers who watch youtube vlogs (a specific personality type) and is being used as a tool to both be a role model for them, #goalz and to educate them/inform them/raise awareness of various issues by through this relationship of “influencer”. That is the purpose s well, so that eventually the negative aspects of appropriation will cease to be.
I watched Solange’s “Don’t Touch My Hair” music video for a different class and was meant to respond according to this same topic of identity. I think synthesizing this video and Stenberg’s has really given me an understanding of what appropriation is and why appropriation is bad. In the song Solange’s attitude is proud, unapologetic, calculated and yet un-attacking.
A few noteworthy things that Stenberg points out, is that appropriation is an act of selfishness or jealousy where an outsider glens only the attractive parts of a historical manifestation. She also notes the delicate boundary between appropriation and cultural exchange. Cultural fusion is something that progresses society and perhaps if we are too aggressive with preventing appropriation we will halt cultural exchange thereby slowing societal progress. This is why I especially applaud Solange’s video. It maintains that perfect moment of freedom where she is able to understand her “opposer” and explain their crime but without the typical hostility and with the atypical pride as opposed to apologetic “vibe.”
March: Rhetorical Situation of an Essay: If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is? By James Baldwin
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/29/specials/baldwin-english.html
Speech and Story
In Jewish literature there is an idea that the way to get lost, to lose identity, is by shedding your native clothes, native name, and native language. Here, Baldwin perfectly elucidates on the relationship between speech and identity.
Baldwin’s idea that language is a power tool feels extremely prevalent to today’s political climate. He focuses on how language forms bridges and barriers between people and signal red flags and green flags that encourage or discourage relationships. Says he, “It reveals the private identity, and connects ne with, or divorces one from, the larger public or communal identity.” The reason I believe President Trump is so hated is because of the way he vulgarizes language, to form a crass American identity. This identity “divorces” him from the ideal American identity essentially putting a distance and disgust between him and his people. Meanwhile Presidents like Lincoln or Obama are revered because of the they harnessed language to infuse #hope and beauty into the American identity, enabling them to “connect” better with the public. What I am trying to say here is that language does not only come from existing identity but helps create a new identity or enhance an existing one. I think Baldwin was a master of this (I’m not biased at all but may be my favorite author). In his writing he uses proper or slang or “black” English as he seems fit to give potency to different scenes.
On a separate note, Baldwin’s framing of the Beatniks shocked me. I always knew there was something off with Jack Kerouc who chose Columbia University over let’s say CUNY even though he was supposedly BROKE, but nonetheless I still was/am a fan of Beatnik culture. Knowing that the concept of Beatnik was an appropriation of an identity the Beatniks could never really be definitely puts things in a new perspective. What I do like about beatnik culture is how angsty it is.
Lastly, I do not fully understand the distinction Baldwin makes between Dialect and Language. Would be interested in discussing this further.
April: Rhetorical Situation of a Film Review: ‘Black Panther’ Is Not the Movie We Deserve by Christopher Lebron
http://bostonreview.net/race/christopher-lebron-black-panther
Tropes without Hope
Christopher Lebron, writer for the Boston Review: A Political and Literary Forum, unearths Black Panther’s phony attempt at undermining racism. His tone is firm, frustrated, and even a bit disheartened. His tone is rage. His opinion is wrought with rigor and passion- a combination that lends itself to producing with sincerity. He crafts his argument primarily with logos as he carries his readersthrough the telling nuances of the plot, articulating implication of actions and details. Setting the scene he describes the glory of an all black country thriving not just on capitol but on ingenuity. He then introduces the characters, fleshing out their role in the “race game”. He emphasizes Killmonger’s good intentions accompanied with his idealogical deficit “[he lacks] any coherent political philosophy”, to direct his zealous spirit. ” Instead, “[the writers] establish Killmonger as a receptacle for tropes of inner-city gangsterism.” Essentially the plot exacerbates the tropes by establishing repeated instances of black-on-black violence developing it into a central theme. He also discusses the perpetual shortcomin of “redemption”- moments in the movie (and comics) where black characters were robbed of a second chance- a chance their white “equals” were granted. Lebron furthers his point contrasting the movie to the comic highlighting opportunities of improvement the movie simply did not make. He also compares the movie to other popular movies and shows. He also discusses the way sex is addressed by the film as opposed to how race is dealt with highlighting that the only shortcoming in terms of female character empowerment was of the black woman. He notices, “The lone American black woman is disposed of by black-on-black violence. She is also invisible and nearly silent. In the comic books her character is both a genius and alive and well.” Another tactic he uses to logical wrap up his point is offers alternatives to the story that would have prevented accusations and implications of racism in the film. He closes with his call to action, encompassing both his purpose and his exigence, “Black Panther is not the movie I deserve…Why should I accept the idea of black American disposability from a man in a suit, whose name is synonymous with radical uplift but whose actions question the very notion that black lives matter?” In this line there is something very profound…who in this moment is the man in the suit we are supposed to look to for hope, is it the super hero, is it the filmmaker is it the President, is it the media…? The exigence is simultaneously the production of a highly flawed movie, and the existing flaws in our culture and society. His purpose is bringing proof through film and through reality. One of the most powerful lines in the article is, “There is no reconciliation…The sun sets on his [killmonger’s] body as it did on Michael Brown’s.”
Lebron’s audience is educated and curious. They are interested in Politics and Literature and probably art as well. They are Reading the Boston Review and are probably from boston. Lebron is a Black, brilliant, and passionate writer- He writes for those asking to be critical with candor, and he asks, “What is the world that we deserve?”
April: Analyzing the Argument of a Musical Critique: Moving Beyond Pain by bell hooks
http://www.bellhooksinstitute.com/blog/2016/5/9/moving-beyond-pain
Freedom Without Violence
hooks argues that Beyonce’s Lemonade falls short of promoting any productive form of feminism. She constructs her argument slowly, carefully. She first praises Beyonce in the beautiful; black imagery that was produced and showcased to an audience beyond the black realm, reeling this beauty into the mainstream, bringing it into the white. “…this comodification [of the black female body] …its purpose it to…challenge the ongoing present day devaluation and dehumanization of the black female body.” Soon after, the fatal flaw arises. Beyonce conflates many ideas, violence, freedom , and beauty which each have their own emotional burdens. The conflation of them only gives rise to simplification which restricts the articulation of any productive and beautiful feminism. First the beautiful bodies are victimized and then washed in rage and then vessels of violence. Violence is a preexisting characteristic of the patriarchy and Lemonade therefore proposes women take it on as their tool. hooks however points out that equality does not mean adopting the flawed and lethal tools of the “superior” rather it entails rigorous inspection into the dynamic between inferior ad superior that warrants the creation of new tools and new rules that recognizes complexities and don’t solve them by using impulsive methods (such as violence). “Violence does not create positive change.”
“Her vision of feminism does not call for an end to patriarchal domination. It’s all about insisting on equal rights for men and women. In the world of fantasy feminism, there are no class, sex, and race hierarchies that breakdown simplified categories of women and men, no call to challenge and change systems of domination, no emphasis on intersectionality. In such a simplified worldview, women gaining the freedom to be like men can be seen as powerful. But it is a false construction of power…”
This statement calls out a common flaw- underthinking. In looking at hierarchy, we often assume that they way in which a superior operates is the ideal. Before questioning them, we question ourselves- why don’t we behave like them, why don’t we look like them, why don’t we have what they have. What hook’s realizes in this statement is that to pursue any ideal though in this case feminism we can’t begin by chiding ourselves nor with jealousy or admiration of the “superior”. Rather, we need to asses our strengths (which she does praise Beyonce on calling out black beauty, pride and fearlessness) and asses their weaknesses, wich Beyonce fails to do. We then need to rewrite the rules to accommodate for both while employing ethical means to do so.
April: Analyzing an Argument in Speech: The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism by Audre Lorde
Alive in Anger
Audre Lorde offer an approach to progression through honest expression. In a revolutionary way, Lorde depicts anger as a tool rather than a weapon. Anger is a consequence of a crime committed or the reaction to a highly flawed philosophy. Rage is the victim’s song and it is beautiful because it is genuine and soulful. It is also rightful in its passion. Commonly however, anger is perceived as pointless or sometimes even destructive. Lorde uses bulleted narratives to show instances where 1. angered is repeled by the listener 2. people cannot manage their guilt and instead scapegoat their misdirected angers on the “angry” person instead, 3. highlight scenarios that warrant anger.
Anger is an expression of honesty, severe but accurate in its execution. It is born of its antithesis, distortion, falsity. Racism is a distortion of reality. Resentment born of guilt is a distortion of reality. The white women feeling the need to be “understood” by the black women whom they oppress is a distortion of reality. Guilt is what is futile and an inhibitor of progress. What I think Lorde is asking for is something easier said than done: extreme emotional maturity and control. In hearing anger she wants the guilty listener to integrate that anger into their own psyche as a fuel to resolution, to annihilation of the flaw, to mend the problem. She justifies asking such a tolling task in saying that her people have attained this level of emotional control through the management of their anger. If this (emotional control) was asked by them (whites) then it (more specifically: subduing their guilt and empathizing with anger) can be asked of them as well.
I also included Lorde’smost powerful quotes below.
“Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one’s own actions or lack of action.”
“The angers of women can transform difference through insight into power. For anger between peers births change, not destruction, and the discomfort and sense of loss it often causes is not fatal, but a sign of growth.”
“what you hear in my voice is fury, not suffering.”
P.S. I want to say my opinion on this reading: I thought it was really powerful. I thought Lorde expressed herself with clarity and precision. I found her bringing examples to show that her perception has manifestations in reality is not figment “of the victim’s imagination” but an accurate portrayal of the crime. I like that she is proud. I like that she is unafraid. I like that she calls the anger of her people a symphony because what is music if not the song of the soul and thus anger is music.
