Assertion Analysis # 4

"A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with deliberate care, a certain unique or single effect to be wrought out, he then invents such incidents — he then combines such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect. If his very initial sentence tend not to the out bringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first step. In the whole composition there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction. The idea of the tale has been presented unblemished, because undisturbed; and this is an end unattainable by the novel. Undue brevity is just as exceptionable here as in the poem; but undue length is yet more to be avoided." - Poe

In his assertion Poe is explaining what he thinks is the effective way to write a tale. He lists his ideas step by step, for someone to follow when they are creating their own tale. He talks about what one shouldn't do when writing the tale, what is effective or ineffective. If the author uses the steps that Poe is giving they will have a great tale, but if the author does otherwise their story can turn out to be mediocre. He  talks about techniques one should use in their tale for the reader to be engaged in the talk being read/told. He instructs how "he" should use diction and imagery to catch the reader and drive the reader to want to reach the end of the tale. 

Poe uses rhetorical and literary devices throughout his assertion such as diction, syntax and tone. He uses diction when repeating the words, "he, him, his" a lot through the text. His choice in using "he, him, his" can make the audience wonder what he truly means. Is he talking to a man directly, or is he implying that those who write fables are only men, what is the true meaning to the gender he is putting to a person he intends would write good tales, or is he simply just using "he, him, his?" Another device he uses is syntax, he uses a short sentence then a long sentence, then he just writes in equal medium sentences. Poe's tone throughout the text gives a feeling of his passion and how dedicated he is to writing. He speaks about art with such care, showing how passionate he is, towards writing. 

Assertion Analysis #3

"When I behold this I sighed, and said within myself, "Surely mortal man is a broomstick!" Nature sent him into the world strong and lusty, in a thriving condition, wearing his own hair on his head, the proper branches of this reasoning vegetable, till the axe of intemperance has lopped off his green boughs, and left him a withered trunk; he then flies to art, and puts on a periwig, valuing himself upon an unnatural bundle of hairs, all covered with powder, that never grew on his head; but now should this our broomstick pretend to enter the scene, proud of those birchen spoils it never bore, and all covered with dust, through the sweepings of the finest lady's chamber, we should be apt to ridicule and despise its vanity. Partial judges that we are of our own excellencies, and other men's defaults!" - Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift uses an extended metaphor to compare man to a broomstick. He doesn't only use the metaphor effectively, but he also captures the readers attention. He compares your everyday simple broom to oneself, the human. Many wouldn't think much of a broom, thus he creates confusion to the person reading, or listening to the quote. In addition to his extended metaphor, Swift also uses figurative language in his quote, "he flies to art." He also uses symbolism in symbolizing a periwig to represent the people who have "achieved the American dream."  The periwig expresses how famous people in history and of his time wore wigs for people to see they were of wealth.

   In Swift's quote he talks about how nature created man and the broom in great conditions but then "the axe of intemperance" came in and everything began to fall downhill. Once man falls under, he no longer shows hs natural hair and goes to the periwig, he becomes a different person, unlike the person nature set him to be. He begins to judge others and look into other peoples defaults to make himself look better. Swift's uses different types of analogies to express his ideas he has about the American dream. Nature creates man in a thriving condition but as soon as he "achieves"  the American dream, everything goes downhill and one looses who they were once before. This is Swift's thoughts toward the American Dream. 

Assertion Analysis #2

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death." - Elie Wiesel

   Elie Wiesel's view on the world is that everyone is indifferent. Indifferent meaning unimportant or the lack of interest. He states that there is no hate, no ugliness, no heresy, nothing but indifference. Americans have become so indifferent, they no longer care of what is going on in the world around them, for all they care about, is themselves. It is way easier for Americans to avoid what's going on around them then actually care of what's happening. Americans have become indifferent, without a care in the world. 

   Wiesel uses rhetorical devices to support his claim on indifference. He uses anaphora and repetition like "The opposite of" and "indifference" to catch the viewers attention on his argument. His syntax, consists of short statement sentences and  long statement. " The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference." His mood throughout  his assertion is negative. He uses words like "Indifferent," that have negative connotation. Throughout his assertion he repeats indifferent in order to demonstrate how important it is and to remind the audience that we have become indifferent, and we should start to care.   

Assertion Analysis #1

“Lady and gentleman, when my parents left Korea with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the considerable wealth they had amassed in the shipping business, they had a dream. They had a dream that one day amid the snowy hilltops of western North Carolina, their son would lose his virginity to a cheerleader in the woman's bathroom of a Waffle House just off the interstate. My parents have sacrificed so much for this dream! And that is why we must journey on, despite all trials and tribulations! Not for me and least of all for the poor cheerleader in question, but for my parents and indeed for all immigrants who came to his great nation in what they themselves could never have: cheerleader sex." - John Green

   John Green believes the American Dream is a joke and uses sarcasm throughout his text to get his ideas about the American Dream across. He states how his parents sacrificed so much to get to America for his son to loose his virginity to some cheerleader in a bathroom. They gave up a lot of things to achieve their American Dream, but instead it was all for his son to have sex with some cheerleader, accomplishing nothing. 
   Through his assertion we can see that John Green's mood and tone is indeed sarcastic. Towards the end of his assertion, his sarcastic mood can be sensed with his last two words, "cheerleader sex." He sees his American Dream as "cheerleader sex" and how everyone believes in a Dream that many may not be able to attain. He makes these silly remarks to claim how the American Dream is stupid and that in reality it isn't as everyone sees it to be. John Green's parents did their best to get to America to achieve the dream,  but only to see his son have sex in a Waffle House? 
   Some people truly believe in the American Dream, and therefore sacrifice everything, and work their hardest to posses the "dream." Although many attempt to achieve this silly Dream we have established in America, many don't get close to accomplishing it.