IRB Intro #3

This marking period I decided to read How to Live by Sarah Bakewell. I chose this book mostly because Mr. Yost recommended it for me. When I previewed the book by reading the summary and the questions posed and answered by it, it sparked my interest and I became very excited to start reading. Written by Sarah Bakewell, How to Live is a biography of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, a Renaissance man. In my ninth grade history class I became very interested in the Renaissance period so when I learned this information about Montaigne, the book caught my attention even more. It has been given a number of stellar reviews and it poses philosophical questions, many of which I have tried to address on my own time. I am excited to begin reading and am interested in exploring my sense of self and the way I view the world around me/my experiences, with the help of this book.

TOW 16- IRB

            The one thing that every single person on this planet has in common is our mortality. We will all die one day, regardless of our profession, wealth, or morality; we all share the same mortality. John Gunther explores our human instinct of fending off Death in his memoir Death Be Not Proud, which shares the story of his son’s relationship with Death. This boy, against all odds, survived and thrived while fighting a malicious tumor that threatened to hijack his most prized possession: his brain. His father, John Gunther, speaks in bursts of descriptive anecdotes and in the first person in order to give his audience much-needed perspective on the reality of the “problems” that they face.

            Gunther spends the first half of the book sharing the early stages of the tumor; the early sacrifices Johnny and his family made; the early struggles Johnny faced and the profoundly optimistic spirit he maintained. By the second half of the book, Gunther’s audience is already in love with his son. Johnny is a truly amazing individual, as we learn through Gunther's touchingly detailed anecdotes. When Johnny briefly got his full-vision back, Gunther describes Johnny’s face to have “the most beautifically happy expression…ever seen on a human being” (108). The loving, descriptive way with which Gunther continually describes Johnny maintains the audience’s admiration of the young boy, making them more susceptible to Gunther’s message that one must address their obstacles with a fierce determination accompanied by an optimistic mind. Gunther’s first-person narration gives his audience a front-row seat to Johnny’s struggle, allowing them to struggle alongside Johnny. This, combined with their love for him, makes the audience hope, pray, and yearn for Johnny’s recovery. Our attachment to him makes us admire him for all of his remarkable qualities; we put him on a pedestal; we want to be like him. This provides us with perspective; makes our problems seem petty and trivial and our complaints seem bratty and horribly unnecessary compared to Johnny: someone who is dying but rarely complains, and, if he does, insists that he be punished for it. Someone who never once puts himself first, someone who encompasses all the traits of considerateness, kindness, brilliance, stability and courtesy even in the face of his impending doom. Gunther’s detailed anecdotes and strikingly honest first-person perspective gives Johnny the characterization necessary for his audience to strive to be just like him while facing their problems; after-all, as anyone who has read this book can attest to, the world would be an exponentially better place if we all had the qualities of Johnny Gunther.

            

TOW 15: Political Cartoon

 

While browsing the web, I found a political cartoon that depicts a belief held by many regarding Obamacare. Published in US News, this political cartoon protests Obamacare on the grounds that it takes away jobs. A contrast of colors and facial expressions communicate the artist’s feelings in an effective way.

 

Set in a largely brightly-colored room with white and pink walls lies a man, obviously sick, in bed. Standing by his bed is Obama, directing the man’s attention towards an “Obamacare doctor” standing at the door: the grim reaper, the one object in the room with a stark dark coloring. The stark difference in the coloring of the room contrasted with the darkness that the grim reaper brings symbolizes the lousy effect that Obama’s Obamacare has had on jobs, the man lying on his deathbed. Yet another effective rhetorical device used is the difference in facial expressions. The man, jobs, lying in bed, has a perplexed and anxious look on his face, whereas Obama is bright, sunny and encouraging, and the grim reaper’s face is not shown at all. This depicts Obama as manipulative because he is endorsing something that will ultimately bring harm to jobs. The artist of this cartoon does an amazing job of conveying his message in a simple and clear way, allowing his audience to easily grasp and contemplate the sincerity of his claim.