No Place Like Home by David Guterson

As Guterson describes, the reason Green Valley is as much a verb as a noun is because it is "a place in the process of becoming what it purports to be" (pg. 183).  Green Valley, "a corporate master-planned community" (pg.183), is a former desert area that was and currently is being made into a predictable and safe community.  As Guterson describes, "Within the high walls lining Green Valley's expansive parkways lie homes so similar they appear as uncanny mirror reflections of one another-and, as it turns out, they are" (pg.183).  Nothing is out of the ordinary, giving this area a sense of calmness and simplicity.  There are no gas stations or fast-food restaurants within Green Valley's limit, and there is even a slightly scary neighborhood watch in effect with signs reading:  "Warning...neighborhood watch program in force.  We immediately report all suspicious persons and activities to our police department" (pg. 184).  All of these enforcements and community designs are changing this area south of Las Vegas into what "Green Valley" should encompass.  

Guterson's tone of voice throughout "No Place Like Home" is sarcastic.  He achieves this by presenting the goal of designers who initially create communities such as Green Valley, but by writing it so the reader can discern the mistakes and falsehoods of such plans.  For example, when Guterson describes the civic center by saying, "A promotional brochure describes its plaza as 'the perfect size for public gatherings and all types of social events,' but on that balmy day, the desert in bloom just a few miles off, no one had, in fact, fathered here" (pg.184).  By putting forward what these communities original intentions were, the ridiculous nature of some of their plans is displayed.  

Guterson supports his idea that suburbs are not safe as they claim to be by quoting Robert Fishman's ideas:  "...would agree that suburbia hasn't worked.  Suburbia, he argues, appeared in America in the middle of the nineteenth century, offering escape for the squalor and stench of the new industrial cities" (pg. 185).  As people are beginning to realize, just because a community guards itself behind "impenetrable" walls, doesn't stop evil from seeping inside.  Guterson gives countless examples, such as a rapist being loose inside of Green Valley and a killer of 23 people being a resident of the seemingly safe community (pg.188).  From my experience not necessarily living in a regulated community, but a small town, communities cannot change a person's values or curb their problems.  Just as Guterson describes Green Valley's drug problems by saying, "...the teenagers who told me that LSD and crystal meth are the narcotics of choice at Green Valley High School..." (pg. 188), problems, whether about drugs or violence, can always find a way to corrupt a town, a city, or even a well-guarded suburb community.

Home

5 Memories/Feelings about Home Drawing:
1. The circular tile floor that surrounds the front door is where my dog, which died last summer, used to always lay.
2. My house was peculiar in a sense that the front door leads to the second floor, and there is one above and below it.
3. When I was younger I wanted to play the piano, so my stepdad's mom gave us her old piano which is still in the living room even though I gave up after only a few months.
4. The kitchen has a TV, but the living room doesn't because no one ever hung out in the living room.
5. The way the second floor is laid out is one huge square room not separated by anything except for the bathroom that is the smaller square room in the center. This made my house anything but private unless you decided to go into your own room.

One memory that I will always associate with my house is my dog, which passed away this past summer. My sister and I got our dog, Mac, when we were about 6 or 7 years old and we were so excited because it was the first pet we ever had. We got the dog within the first year or two of moving into our house (more like a condo) so much of my memories associated with living there revolves around my dog. Its favorite spot to lay or sleep at was this semi-circular floor that was tile that surrounded the front door, probably because it was a cooler area to lay on as opposed to the carpet. Whenever anyone opened the door, she would always be sleeping behind it. Now, when I come in the door, sometimes it's awkward not to see her lying there anymore.

What Makes A Man Hot

1.  Straight & white teeth (nice smile)

2.  Clear complexion

3.  Pretty eyes

4.  Straight hair (short or shaggy)

5.  In good shape

6.  Healthy looking skin tone

7.  Taller than me (5'5")

8.  Funny personality

exs:  Brad Pitt, Charlie Hunnam, Johnny Depp, Dan Cook

What Do You Have to Know to Understand This Video?

In order to understand this video, you must be familiar with a certain context. Some factors include knowing who the women are in the video, knowing the differences that are brought out among the two women, understand the circumstances in which John McCain's running mate is now obviously closer to the white house than Hilary Clinton, and the well-talked about subject of women being in the White House. Because each of the women belong to different political parties it is also important to know which woman belongs to which party and some of the basic views of Republicans and Democrats. Both women are also separated based on their experience with politics, with Hilary Clinton having more ethos, and something as simple as their beauty.

What would you do if you were the opposite sex for one day?

If, one morning, I woke up and realized I was no longer female, but instead a male, my day would most likely not be the same. Being a male would mean no reason to put on make-up, straighten my hair, etc. I would take a shower and not have to worry about conditioning my hair after I washed it because shampoo would be enough. My shower would probably go from lasting 20 minutes to a total of 5 minutes. After that, I would probably eat massive amounts of food because it wouldn't matter how many calories I ingested for only one day. I would have to learn how to go to the bathroom as a boy too. Going out and seeing how people would treat me differently would be interesting as well: no more doors automatically being opened for me by other boys, etc. Many aspects of life in which I'm used to would change.

Rhetoric Scavenger Hunt

Analysis:

I believe that this particular text is rhetorically effective because of the combination of appearance and purpose. By being placed inside of a building used primarily by UT students and faculty, they are the intended audience. I believe the tone of the text is that it's not difficult to make a difference (in this case, by recycling). Also, because it is positioned right inside of the building near the door, it is an easy way to dispose of trash when entering or exiting. By putting across the message that recycling is easy, the text is also attempting to persuade its audience to do just that: recycle. I believe pathos is the main rhetoric strategy present because by using the statement UT Cares, the text is attempting to arise feelings of obligation because most of the people walking by the recycling bin are a part of UT; therefore, they should care. Overall, I believe the purpose of the text is to motivate people to recycle instead of littering or just throwing away trash.

Letters

Dear Stephanie,
I wish you had come back to Oak Ridge with me this past weekend.  I went home friday and it was pretty boring but I had that 300 dollars my mom put in my account, so that helped. After I went to Erick's house, we went out to Knoxville to Brad's. Tree came over to and he fired us up. I also saw a person who you don't like too much, but I already told you about that in person.  We just watched movies so it wasn't that much fun, but Saturday I went to the lake with Erick and his family. They took us tubing on their boat. They also cooked a really good dinner. We were supposed to spend the night but Erick's little brother was talking about spiders getting into the tent, which was where we were going to have to sleep, so I told him I wanted to go home. I was really tired from waking up at 8 in the morning, so I went to sleep pretty early. Sunday, we went over to Jake's house and threw in. We watched Street Kings. It was such a good movie, you would like it a lot. That was the same night Garrett's house got broken into. Monday I had to pack most of the day, but after I got done me and Erick drove out to Cedar Bluff to Brad's again. I actually like hanging out with him. He fired us up and we just watched TV. He had this brindled boxer and it was really sweet. It kept coming up to me and putting his head in my lap. Well that's pretty much all that happened.  Hope you had a good weekend too.

Love, Kristin





Dear Fifi,
I've been in school now for about a week and a half. I wish you had been here to see me move into the dorm and everything, but hopefully I will get to see you soon. I hope you had a good Labor Day weekend. Mine was pretty nice. I came home to Oak Ridge to be around my friends and Erick. Not much happened, except for Saturday I went out on Erick's family's boat. It reminded me of when Uncle Craig used to take us all out fishing and tubing. Of course being in the Miami Ocean is way better than Norris Lake. I was going to go to Boomsday on Sunday to see the fireworks, but I didn't feel like driving through all the traffic and finding a parking spot, so I just hung out with some friends. Monday was the first UT football game. It was an away game so I just watched it on TV. I came back to the dorm Monday night because I had classes early Tuesday morning. Well, I just thought I would say hello and tell you how I'm doing. I hope everything is going good with you and I can't wait to see you soon. I love you so much!

Love, Kristin

Video Analysis

Video One

Observations

1.  Dramatic music plays right when the commercial begins and stops once the voice begins.

2.  Video begins with an up-close image of the egg dropping into the butter in a saucepan.

3.  As the egg begins to cook, the camera moves away from the egg, allowing the viewer to see the saucepan.

4.  The butter is called the viewer's "brain".

5.  The egg being cooked is called the viewer's "brain on drugs".

6.  Partnership for a Drug-Free America, in white print at the end of the video, pops up.

Inferences

1.  The makers of the commercial want to connect the effects of drugs on the brain to something everyone has done:  fried an egg.

2.  The commercial is simple because the message is meant to be understood easily and without much effort.

3.  When the voice says "Get the picture" after calling the fried egg a brain on drugs, wants to have the viewers think of the fried egg every time they think about doing drugs.

4.  The audience is probably pre-teens to teenagers because if the video's simplicity.

5.  Because only a voice is heard and no faces are seen, the voice is the only thing that is connected to the commercial, which may be done to create all the attention on what is occurring to the egg.

Video Two

Observations

1.  90's star, Rachael Lee Cook is holding an egg and compares it to the viewer's brain.

2.  The frying pan is compared to heroin.

3.  The commercial says that after snorting heroin, your brain, or the egg, is demolished by the frying pan, or the heroin.

4.  The goo and debris of the egg that is smeared all over the frying pan and dripping onto the floor is the aftermath that your body endures from snorting heroin.

5.  The smashing of plates is what your family goes through.

6.  Along with the plates, wine glasses, a clock, a blender, a lamp and so on are smashed to symbolize your friends, your job, your money, your self-respect, and lastly your future.

7.  The phrase "Any Questions" is said at the end, just like in the first video.

8.  Office of National Drug Control Policy/Partnership for a Drug-Free America also shows up on the screen.

Inferences

1.  Like in the first commercial, this commercial wants to connect the abuse of drugs to something everyone can relate to:  an egg being smashed.

2.  Unlike the first commercial, the drugs is narrowed down to only one drug:  heroin.  This may be because of the time period, in which heroin may have been more of a problem among teens.

3.  The inclusion of Rachael Lee Cook, a well-known teen actor, is to convey the message that its not cool or smart to do drugs and because Cook doesn't do them neither should you.

4.  Like the first video, this one is most likely meant to reach out to teenagers.

5.  Instead of focusing on what is done to the egg, this commercial goes farther by wanting to show the trashing of the kitchen as the trashing of your life if you partake in abusing heroin.  This couldn't be done as intensely without the use of a teenager trashing the kitchen.

Rhetorical Strategies Compared/Contrasted For Video One & Two

Even though both of the videos, petitioning a drug-free America, are reaching out to the same audiences and share the same purpose, each goes about this in different ways using different strategies.  Using pathos, or an emotional appeal, is more prominent in Video Two.  Having Rachael Lee Cook not only demonstrate what can happen to your brain if you snort heroin, but what can happen to your life including your family, friends, self-respect etc. strikes a nerve easier with the audience.  It also creates a more dramatic tone, making the emotion more pronounced and easily felt; allowing the viewer to see that their actions of using drugs won't only effect themselves makes the decision harder.  Video One, on the other hand contains more logos, or logical appeals.  Video One's message is simply that when you do drugs, it fries your brain, which they convey with the frying of the egg in the frying pan.  This message is very logical because obviously why would anyone want their brain to be like a fried egg?  Video Two likewise uses logos by comparing an egg to your brain, and the smashing of it to what happens to your brain when you snort heroin.  These actions warrant the question of why do drugs if this is the outcome.  When both commercials ask the question at the end ("Any Questions?"), this adds to their credibility because it gives the impression that they know what they are talking about; that these are the only outcomes that can occur from doing drugs.  The fact that both commercials were made by Drug-Free America partnerships, and the Office of National Drug Policy adds to their credibility because knowledge about drugs is their job.  In the second video, Rachael Lee Cook brings even more credibility by being a well-known teenage movie star and someone looked up to by teenagers world-wide.  I believe both videos to be effective in portraying their message and getting the point across.  Video Two uses pathos and ethos more effectively, in my opinion, which may be because of the different time periods in which each was released.  Because the second video was created later than the first, it would be able to take the strategies used in the first and perfect them.

Image Rhetorical Analysis

Observations:

1.  The bright white lights shooting up in the background and the red behind the man pop out against the dark uniform the man is wearing and the dark sky.  The man's white gloves stand out as well.

2.  The central figure is the man standing in uniform in the center of the photograph.  The white lights in the background, forming a semi-circle, help to lead the viewer's eye to the central figure.

3.  Not much is going on in the background except the shining white lights.

4.  The way the man stands with his head held high, and the uniform he is wearing, which appears to be a military uniform possibly, adds to his importance.

5.  Because the picture was taken below the central point of focus, it adds length to his height, maybe adding to his importance.

Inferences

1.  Because the Chinese military man is the center of focus in the picture, the author may have been trying to communicate a common ground, because all countries have some type of military.  

2.  The way the man is positioned in the photograph, along with being a part of the military, may be suggesting that this man is a symbol of importance and pride to China.

3.  China, by hosting the Olympics in their country, may be trying to shine a new light on their country.  Because the Olympics is a world-wide event, broadcasted on TV's across the world, China may be trying to come across as an ally, as opposed to an enemy.

4.  The fact that the Olympics are being hosted in China may mean that the future is brighter than the past.  Also, that the past can be forgotten and forgiven.

5.  The Olympics also builds bridges and forms common ground because all countries have athletes that represent them.

I believe that the picture does appeal to its audiences emotionally because the Olympics are a world-wide spectacle.  Many people, whether attending in person, or viewing from home, can admire the photograph as a symbol of pride, even if it may only be China's.  The image does a well job at causing people to believe they are witnessing something of importance because the Olympics happen only every couple of years, and none are like the previous; this photograph will represent the Olympics of 2008.  Even though I am not positive if the bright white lights are actually lights of possibly some type of fire, I think their only purpose is to bring attention to the central figure.  The photographer chose a good photograph to show the world an inspiring aspect of the Olympics.  

Observations/Inferences

Observations
1. 3 colors: clear, black & white
2. BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip is written on it
3. chew marks on cap
4. black ink
5. plastic feels smooth
6. is a writing utensil
7. made by BIC
8. cheap
9. bought from Wal-Mart
10. no eraser

Inferrences
1. I get nervous or bored in class due to the chew marks on the cap.
2. As long as the pen performs its function, I could care less about its appearance or what brand it is.
3. I bought the pen, rather than stealing it, which may be why I chose to buy a cheaper brand.
4. Many people probably have the same pen since it can be bought at Wal-Mart.
5. I don't worry about making mistakes due to the lack of eraser.