Thesis?: Fife’s article is a strong essay because of its early establishment of pathos which helps to develop an ethos that is backed up by logos; however it falls short in using evidence from strong sources and vocabulary.
Fife’s article discusses the importance of pop culture, particularly Facebook, in the study of contemporary literature. Instead of shunning Facebook as inferior to scholarly texts she praises it for the affect it has on a user’s rhetorical analytical skills and the complexity between individual profiles. Fife, a professor, explains the experience her students have during an assignment in which they must analyze Facebook profiles. Even her tech savvy millennials are apprehensive about this assignment because “[Facebook] is just a straightforward communication tool.” (Fife, 558) However they began to realize how
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profiles carry traditional ethos, pathos and logos elements that are easily passed over if one is not looking for them. Fife concludes that it is important for “teachers of language” (Fife, 561) to accept the evolution of literature and learn from modern modes. Topic Sentence?
In her introduction, Fife appeals to the reader by recognizing the widely-known strain of social media on student/teacher relationships. Fife, continuing to appeal to the reader, demonstrates her understanding of opposing perspectives of students and teachers- she does not portray one side superior to the other. For instance, she understands the frustration teachers face when Facebook “sneak[s] into the classroom uninvited” and causes students to not “[participate] in class discussions and activities.” In contrast Fife goes on not to praise the distracted behaviour of modern students but recognizes strong rhetorical analytical skills that students have developed because of modern means like Facebook. By establishing pathos early on in her essay, Fife has developed an empathetic base that is maintained throughout the essay and aides her in having the reader listen to her arguments. For the remainder of the essay, Fife recognizes opposing perspectives and continues to transfer those beliefs into her main argument. By appealing to her audience Fife is able to effectively connect with her audience’s beliefs and
emotions. The sense of pathos Fife has developed is core in building ethos and Fife does this in correspondence with each other. Fife’s main argument is to keep up with the times accepting unconventional modern literature is necessary. She excels in persuading the audience to listen to her arguments by building an empathetic relationship with them (students and professors). Her essay uses many anecdotes to connect on an emotional level with the reader. For example, her complete essay revolves around a long anecdote of her class studying Facebook, one the reader connects and quickly builds a strong sense of pathos with. Even within the anecdote, she describes the story of the relationship between Brent Schendler and his daughters. Schendler, who does not understand Facebook, comes to understand it better as his daughters explain it as an “antidote to homesickness [and a] tool for procrastination” (Fife, 556). By using other authors and scholars, an example of using logos, to develop her ideas Fife becomes more trustworthy and universally applicable. Fife references many other professors and scholars with contrasting views such as Aristotle, Rebekah Nathan, and Jamerson Magwood to build a strong reputation. She relates their views, whether pro or anti-Facebook to the findings of her students as they explore facebook. Through this comparison, the reader has built pathos with the students yet using the scholars as logos, Fife builds a strong reputation for herself as trustworthy and (ethos).
In the article “Clive Thompson on the New Literacy,” writer Clive Thompson argues that the widespread use of technology and social media does not make kids illiterate and unable to form coherent sentences, but instead, keeps them actively writing and learning. Thompson’s article is based off of a study done by Andrea Lunsford, a writing professor at Stanford University. Thompson agrees with Lunsford that the use of social media and the Internet allow students to be creative and get better at writing. In his article, Thompson quotes John Sutherland, an English professor at University College of London, to inform the audience of the opposite side of the argument. He states, “Facebook encourages narcissistic blabbering, video and PowerPoint have
The issue with this essay is the way it handles its negative views. It’s handles in a very black or white situation with only negative views being shown, ”Entertaining, and successful participation requires no real effort and no real accountability. Serial use of YouTube clips, Prezi presentations, films, and “student-centred learning activities” continues to be peddled for pedagogical relevance (Srigley),” depicted in the essay, technology is the big scary monster going after and attacking the teacher and making his students ignore him, and inconveniencing his everyday life, ”That’s when I understood that there were several entertainment options available to students in the modern university classroom, and that lectures rank well below Twitter, Tumblr, or Snapchat (Srigley)” The essay also attacks online courses without showing the positive side to them. Shown in the essay, they are worth nothing and teach nothing, ”online courses are perhaps one of the most complete expressions of the denigration of university education (Srigley),” there is no good side of online classes shown. There is nothing to show how online learning is making learning accessible,”work online with no direct support from a faculty member. Digital lectures for live classes with real students? Sounds expensive. How about no lectures, no students, and, best of all, no professor (Srigley).” Overall, if the essay were to show the second side of technology as a whole, the argument against technology within the essay would be stronger, and appear to be more of an argument based in logic, rather than a person who refuses to come to the reality of the times and just attacks technology for this failure to understand
The audience can empathize easily with Sue and the death of her youngest and this allows the audience to understand the usefulness of Facebook “friends”; however, Dailey’s shift to present the other side of the argument with Bugeja’s forward truth of the flaws in online social networks. Bugeja convinces the reader that reality provides a more intimate level of support that the virtual world can never offer. Dailey could have ended the article on a stronger note that Facebook “friends” only serves as an additive to friendships to reality. In reference to Henry Adams infamous quote, Facebook “friends” cannot be made but built from existing
She recalls a disagreement that took place on Facebook between her and a close friend over a few comments placed on her timeline. Wortham describes how she felt embarrassed over the pointless argument. She discloses “I’m the first one to confess my undying love of the Web’s rich culture and community, which is deeply embedded in my life. But that feud with a friend forced me to consider that the lens of the Web might be warping my perspective and damaging some important relationships” (171). Introducing her personal feelings and perspective of how she feels Facebook is taking over her own emotional response online weakens her argument. Wortham reasons that others feel the same as she does. She says, “This has alarmed some people, convincing them that it’s time to pull the plug and forgo the service altogether” (171). Wortham does not bring in other testimonies of those who feel the same as she does, therefore the readers are only introduced to her personal
It seems everybody in this ever-connected world is linked to some form of social media. And if you aren’t, I applaud you. It’s a TRAP. Carr begins his book by telling the stories of three well-educated men and the effects the internet has had on them. As stated by Bruce Friedman, a blogger about the use of computers in medicine, “Even a blog post of more than three or four paragraphs is too much to absorb. I skim it” (Carr 7), it’s too hard to focus on lengthy articles. The internet has shortened our attention span’s, seeking answers purely for convenience. I’m often looking for a
This specific article addresses the implications of “online social networking and how they transcend disciplinary actions and reputational harm” (442). Fleming begins her argument by paralleling the transformative properties of the invention of the telephone years ago to social networks today (440). Students’ online identities come at a price, allowing job recruiters, school administrators, ...
By appealing so much to pathos, his letter focuses more on emotionally convincing and persuading the reader to accept his claim, rather than providing facts and logic to his argument. His combined use of logos and ethos also adds an aspect of logic and reason to his argument, as well as further showing his credibility and connection to the subject as the author. His use of the three rhetorical devices helps to bolster and support his claim, while also personalizing and connecting with the
YourDictionary. "Examples of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos." YourDictionary. N.p., 21 June 2016. Web. 01 Mar.
Marche first draws in readers using pathos, but his examples of logos throughout the article are the real selling point. After the gruesome story about Yvette, Marche begins to talk about how “we live an accelerating contradiction: the more connected we become, the lonelier we are.” He then introduces the statistics of Facebook, how there are 845 million users and how in 2011, they generated about 2.7 billion likes and comments every day. This supports his claim that we are all “transfixed by the glare of a screen, hungering for a response” and that we are now what is known as the digital era. To create a timeline image he makes “Facebook arrived in the middle” capitalized to emphasize that human loneliness was on a rise. From then on he uses statistics and expert quotes to provide evidence about how slowly people are becoming distant due to isolation. Then Marche introduces how researchers have found that people who spend more time on Facebook are more likely to develop neurotic disorders, depression, or health conditions, such as narcissistic disorder. Overall the development and support of logos provides support to the thesis that overtime the digital era is causing more and more symptoms of
“The Facebook Sonnet,” a poem by Sherman Alexie, deciphers the present day culture’s fascination with social media. Alexie scrutinizes how status updates are altering and molding Facebook user’s day to day lives. He gives his cynical opinion of the website in the form of a sonnet, analyzing how Facebook is lengthening the immaturity of youth by concerning its users with opportunities to portrays one’s life as more fulfilling that it is in reality. “The Facebook Sonnet” describes twenty-first century culture in its most negative light by painting a picture of a self-centered society through Alexie’s use of satirical tone, irony, and sonnet structure.
Novels: the first form of social media. Jane Austen’s works continue to suggest how society should function. In her most highly lauded novel, Emma, Jane Austen creates a blueprint for the foundation of a well-matched, highly-mannered, and cohesive community. Consequently, contemporary authors and journalists reference well known characters in Emma to provide readers with a more grounded foundation to fully grasp the whole concept of the passage or article. Although Emma is a two century-old novel about a woman’s encounters with love, people continue to incorporate its message and plot into everyday life. (add a stronger thesis here)
Ramage, John D., and John C. Bean. "Ethos, Pathos, and Logos." Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1998. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
“The Facebook Sonnet” by Sherman Alexie brings up ideas and controversy over social media because it decreases face-to-face communication. Though Facebook allows people to contact old and new friends, it renders away from the traditional social interaction. Online, people are easily connected by one simple click. From liking one’s status to posting multiple pictures, Facebook demands so much attention that it’s easy for users to get attach. They get caught up in all the online aspect of their lives that they fail to appreciate real life relationships and experiences. Within Alexie’s diction and tone, “The Facebook Sonnet” belittles the social media website by showing how society are either focused on their image or stuck in the past to even live in the present.
According to the whole article, the author used the ethos at most for these were his real experience. He established powerful credibility. He showed many examples and the events he had experienced which could make the audience know directly with the education situation during that time and believe the ghetto people and the students were really poor. The uses of logos, pathos and ethos were a big success for each of them could let the readers understand the bad situation with the students and ghetto area’s people. From all over to everywhere did he show the savage inequalities existed.
Exposing students to the power of social media in the classroom is an important part of preparing them to be active and positive digital citizens in a 21st century world. In the last two years, my own students have rapidly been drawn to Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and many other social networking platforms. They upload, share, and connect with others often without any regard to how their digital footprints may reflect them as individuals. Having continuous conversations with students about the choices that they make can lead to positive results. Students don't realize how powerful social media platforms can be in terms of networking, researching, and engaging in academic conversations. It makes me laugh every time I hear them whisper about my colleague Heather's or my Twitter feed. First of all kids, I can hear you. Second of all, yes, social media can be an amazing way to give and exchanged knowledge.