Blog 4: Hazlitt Analysis 10/23/16

Hazlitt's piece about money is seemingly simple, taking up only three sentences, yet complex in detail. He lists all the reasons why money is the at the core of every problem he can think of. This type of syntax is interesting, because it almost makes the reader think he did not prepare much for his argument. Hazlitt has one sentence, taking up about two paragraphs, listing numerous reasons why a lack of money and an abundance of money lead to problems. These problems are connected with commas and semicolons, yet there is not much glue holding them together. There is no underlying scenario or story that ties in all of these reasons. The idea of a distraught, young boy who really wants ice cream and is ready to tell you every reason why he deserves it, came into my mind as I read this piece. Hazlitt wants to paint the picture, and he doesn't leave much assumptions for the reader as he goes. His rapid fire of reasoning has a funny effect. Yes, he does provide many situations, but no, he does not use examples to back them up or provide any credibility as to whether they would actually happen. Though Hazlitt's claim is not directly stated, his character is. He is someone who does not like the idea of money. He uses second-person, "you," to place the reader in the midst of the situations. It is not just theoretical; it can happen to anyone, he says. I noticed that although the piece is wordy, no extra words are there. Following Zinsser's advice, he uses words as words and not clutter. Every situation is different, there are no repetitive examples, and it seems as though he is passionate yet having a good time telling us about his argument. Hazlitt knows what he wants to say, and he says it. This is a strength of his piece. His interesting and even secret turn-around happens around the second paragraph, when he uses the word "or." This comes as a small surprise. The first sentence, it seems, establishes that Hazlitt believes money provides a good living. Then, out of nowhere, he comes back around and starts bombing down the idea that more money is more problems. It reminded me of the video about alcohol we saw in class, with both the positives and negatives listed in one advertisement. By showing the big picture, Hazlitt builds his ethos through objectivity and truth. He does not sugarcoat anything. He tells it as it is, and does so effectively.

Blog 3: Advertisement Analysis 10/09/16

I vividly remember the advertisement of Ambien Cr. With no personal bias, I believe this was an absolute success as an advertisement. To the naked eye, the subliminal changes in behavior of someone before and after taking the pill jab at every aspect of a successful day. The dimly lit and sullen mood of the morning before the actor takes the pill relates to anyone who has trouble sleeping. The rooster symbolizes the insomnia or any other sleeping disorder that forces people to wake up in the middle of the night. The actor wakes up abruptly, the opposite of a peaceful morning. The introduction already has the audience hooked. Anyone with a sleeping problem can relate to such a morning and so this is a text to world connection. The advertisement then sets Ambien Cr apart from any other medication by providing somewhat meaningless information about the layers of the pill. Meanwhile, underneath all of this action, "Dramatization" is written, yet purposely not said. The tone of the narrator stays optimistic and positive throughout the advertisement, even though the majority of the time is spent listing the numerous negative side effects. After the pill, the actor is stretching, smiling, and is evidently feeling much better. Her hair is combed and her skin is clear, yet it is supposedly just after waking up. Without looking through a critical lens, who wouldn't want to wake up that peacefully? I definitely would. She is seen walking confidently through her office and is taking a dominant stance while answering a call, igniting the thought of success and motivation in the audience. The phrase "It has some risk of dependency" is written, a nice and clever way of avoiding the negative connotation of addiction. The narrator swiftly talks through all the negative side effects and then slows down the emphasize what a lovely pill this really is.  The logos of the piece appeals to anyone suffering from lack of sleep and makes them question why they haven't already went to their doctor to get this life-saving pill. The drastic before and after reasons with the audience. The ethos is the actual actor, and yet who is she? Someone getting paid to be in the advertisement shouldn't let anyone believe that this is the real scenario. I found little to no pathos. Overall, with a little personal subjectivity, it is a cunningly deceptive piece that plays on the exact keys of the audience. . Without a critical lens, anyone is subject to being swooned by this advertisement.