Rhetorical Analysis

Who is the author?
King James
Who is his/ her audience?
The prospective inhabitants of Virginia.
What is the tone of the document (vocabulary)?
Straightforward, legalistic, and professional.
What is the purpose and the context of the argument of the piece?
Laying a foundation of rules, guidelines, and instruction on inhabiting the colonies in Virginia.
How is it persuasive (ethos, pathos, logos)?
Ethos: Not much emotion at all.
Pathos: Administrative, authoritative, and informative.
Logos: Administered and measured out the land in knowledgeable and precise terms.

In the excerpt, Las Casas argues that the Spaniards were being overly cruel towards the Natives in the New World. And I agree because what the Spaniards did to the Natives were things that no group of people should ever have to experience. Especially not such a people as the Indians, who were described as reverent, peaceful, and tender. It seems like the Indians had no intention of making war when the Spaniards arrived. In fact, the Indians believed that the Spaniards were coming from heaven, so I can imagine how unprepared their minds were for battle. So such extreme acts of cruelty really weren't necessary for conquering the New World.

My Writing Philosophy

To me, writing is a form of communication, expression, and discovery. When I write, I usually use my writing as a means to communicate my thoughts and ideas. Other times, I simply write to express myself. Whether I'm mad, glad, or sad, I can always write something to express my feelings. Even if no one ever reads my writing, there is still some sense of emotional fulfillment when I am able to express myself on paper. And in expressing myself, I can sometimes understand myself more than I did before. And that's where the discovery aspect comes in. When I'm writing to communicate with someone, my objectives are to clearly and effectively compose my thoughts, theories, and ultimately my message on paper. And hopefully the reader will understand what I'm trying to say, possibly learn something new, and obtain a clear view of my perspective.

Charles Deemer Summary

Charles Deemer made several good points about the English Composition classes of his time. He communicates a strong belief that the current structure of these classes have several flaws and could be much improved. Deemer believes that the classes are much too rigid and forbidding. Students are forced to behave according to the rigid structure, which greatly inhibits effective learning. He states that the freedom to question and basically think outside of the box is what really creates a sufficient learning experience. And, unfortunately, that's a learning experience that most students simply are not getting in these ineffective classes. In addition to the way the classes are set up, the customary relationship between the students and the teacher is also rather flawed. As Deemer described it, the teacher would typically stand behind his podium and chatter on about the subject, and the students would sit at the rear of of the classroom and listen (or space-out). During this process, the teacher is supposedly passing on a wealth of important knowledge to his students, who are soaking in everything they need to learn. But as Deemer explains, that is simply not the case. To achieve adequate learning in an English Composition class, one cannot merely sit and listen to his instructor. The student must be engaged in the lesson. Actively participating and expressing his reactions to the curriculum freely and accordingly. But in order for the students to enthusiastically engage in the class, there must not be the extreme rigidity and discipline that is sadly implemented by most teachers. Instead, teachers should engage their students and encourage their participation with freedom. This would no-doubt create a learning environment that would enable students to freely understand the curriculum and discover new innovations.

PSEC Application Essay

For the past sixty years, the American diet has been under siege. Natural and organic ingredients have been continually substituted for harmful ingredients and unhealthy alternatives. Now, the average food item usually contains hurtful substances that are detrimental to the health of the consumer.

Nowadays, food companies are making seemingly healthy foods with harmful ingredients like partially hydrogenated oil and high fructose corn syrup. Foods such as Ritz crackers contain partially hydrogenated oil, which is made by adding hydrogen atoms to vegetable oil. Trans fat is a by-product of this process. Trans fat is the most harmful fat there is because it increases the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood while decreasing the amount of good cholesterol. Although it is cost-effective and usually tasty, partially hydrogenated oil is simply not worth consuming. High-fructose corn syrup is a sweetener that is made from corn starch. Because of its sweet taste, high-fructose corn syrup can be found in many sweet items like Yoplait yogurt, for example. However, animal studies have shown that increased intake of high-fructose corn syrup causes an increased probability of obtaining diabetes and high cholesterol. Fundamentally, consumption of high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oil can have adverse effects on health.

Many of today’s food products contain very unhealthy ingredients. But countless people still buy into the false representation of these food products and end up making their health worse by purchasing products that contain ingredients like partially hydrogenated oil and high-fructose corn syrup. Ingredients like those are very harmful to the body and should constantly be avoided by health-conscious individuals.