TOW #3- Visual Text- Women. Like Men, Only Cheaper

The image above called "Women. Like men, only cheaper" is by a feminist website called Feministing. Feministing is a non-profit website that brings to view issues on gender equality in America and around the world. The image sarcastically makes fun of the ever present wage gap between men and women. With the tag line "If you dont like it, help us right it" the image also calls to action feminists and anyone viewing that there is still need to fix the wage disparities between men and women. Their audience for this photograph is feminists and people in the working world. The rhetoric term most effectively used by the author is sarcasm. With stating "Women. Like men, Only Cheaper" the author  already uses humor to her advantage as to point out the ridiculousness of the wage gap. Through sarcasm she also points out the fact that women get paid less than men for doing the same job. Also placing two business dressed women high five-ing perpetuates the sarcasm, as again is it seems to be mocking the wage disparities. I believe that the author was successful in their purpose and using sarcasm effectively to prove their point. It really shed light of the issue of the wage gap and misogyny in the work place.

TOW #2 - Nonfiction Piece- The Fight for Unplanned Parenthood

The Fight for Unplanned Parenthood by Gail Collins, a political and social columnist for The New York Times since 1995, is about the need for Planned Parenthood in modern day America and how many government officials are trying to shift and cut funding from the company. This essay was aimed at american women and voters due to her allusions to the recent republican debates and referencing women's health in her piece. The Republican debates being the occasion of her piece as she mentions many of the noted candidates for the Republican primary and their take cutting funding of Planned Parenthood. Her for writing this editorial is to inform readers of the importance and practical need of Planned Parenthood in women's health and the government's alienation of this much needed program. The rhetoric device most effectively used by Collins is her use of Allusions, specifically to the recent Republican debates. By referencing these debates Collins was able to connect with her audience of American voters. Including the views of two prominent Republican primary candidates, Carly Fiorina and Jeb Bush, she is able to show her audience the long term affects these candidates will have on the much needed Planned Parenthood funding. Collins successfully uses allusions to connect and influence her audience. Its also validates her purpose for writing this editorial and the purpose of Planned Parenthood. Overall Collins writes a very strong essay and opinion piece that will ultimately influence the american voter and support of the Planned Parenthood program.

TOW # 1- Non-Fiction Piece- Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying

Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying by Adrienne Rich is a hodgepodge of advice and knowledge on the reasoning and meaning behind lying and the effects it has on women in society. It includes many reasons why people lie, how society causes and creates lies, habits of liars, and what trust means in relationships. The author Adrienne Rich was a essayist, feminist and poet. She is often considered one of the most influential poets of the second half of the second century. Her primary audience in Women and Honor is women, particularly ones in relationships. Her main purpose for writing this essay is to show the silence and oppression women face in these so-called healthy relationships and the struggle to not only uphold her honor but also the honor of her role in society.  She most often appeals to Pathos in her piece. Rich does so when she highlights the struggle of homosexual women in relationships. She writes that a "women love for women has been represented almost entirely through silence and lies". The idea lesbians often have to hide their sexuality and the shame that comes along with it validates her purpose. Showing that for homosexual women, their love is only supposed to explored in secret and that a male lover is still the most desired partner. By appealing to pathos Rich further connects with her audience and makes her narrative more effective. Thus validating her purpose and connecting with her core audience, women. Through Pathos Rich accomplishes her purpose for this piece and makes a thought provoking and scarcely true look on the struggles of women in relationships.

IRB Intro Post #1

IRB Intro Post #1
The Independent Reading book that I chose was The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It is a memoir about her unorthodox childhood growing up with two dysfunction parents. I decided to read this book because it was recommended to me by Ms. Pronko and by another classmates. I also chose to read this book because I really enjoy reading memoirs and learning about different lives than mine. This memoir seems very interesting and I look forward to reading more of it.