American History Judith Ortiz Cofer

740 Words2 Pages

There are similarities and differences in how the authors of “American History” and “ TV Coverage of JFK’s Death Forged Mediums’ Role” use Kennedy’s assassination in their writing. The intended effect of “American History” was to entertain and show how TV news and news in general affects people. In contrast the intended effect of “Tv Coverage…” was to inform readers how John F. Kennedy's assassination affected the news. The author Joanne Ostrow and Judith Ortiz Cofer both use Kennedy’s assassination in their writing to explain how TV news affects people in a community. In “American History” Cofer shows how TV affects Mr. DePalma and Elena’s mother. Mr. DePalma was known as a tough teacher, “Muscular Man” but seeing John F. Kennedy’s assassination on TV affected him during school. Most kids thought it was very strange for Mr. DePalma to cry, “Mr. DePalma to our complete …show more content…

Cofer intended for readers to empathize with the main character, Elena. Elena heads over Eugene’s house on the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated to study. The reader feels bad when Eugene’s mother doesn’t let Elena come in. “ I couldn’t move. I just stood there in shock at hearing these things said to me in such a honey-drenched voice.” Cofer might have used an historical event in a fictional piece because she had personal connections with the event. During the time period of John F. Kennedy’s assassination Cofer was eleven years old and lived in an apartment building in New Jersey called El Building just like Elena, “ A little scared I headed for El Building”. Another reason she may have used a historical event to make the historical event more entertaining. In Ostrow’s piece she intended for readers to think about how TV Coverage of John F. Kennedy’s assassination changed news. She made readers think by putting shocking information. “90 percent of homes with TVs watched the JFK assassination coverage that

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