IRB Intro #2- Kitchen Confidential

For IRB #2, I started reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.  Bourdain is a one of the few celebrity chefs that has not become artificial and caught up in the world of fame.  His success in the restaurant business and experiences all contribute to this book, leaving me excited to see what stories and advice that Bourdain has in store.

TOW #7- Modern Day Slavery (non-fiction)

On December 6th, 1865, slavery was abolished in America.  One of the leading nations getting rid of slavery started a movement which eliminated slavery throughout many other countries in the world, leaving slavery at a minimum as the world developed and industrialized.  Yet, almost 200 years later, why do forms of slavery still exist?  Journalist for the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof wrote an opinion and feature of a young Indian girl who faced slavery in the 21st century.  Kristof, a two time Pulitzer prize winner and Harvard University graduate, uses eye-opening facts and rhetorical questions to inform those who are unaware of modern slavery the harsh effects it has and how there needs to be a solution to end it.

Kristof interviewed a girl named Poonam Thapa, who at the age of 12 was tricked into working at a brothel and fell into the human trafficking system.  Poonam was forced to work every day of the year at the brothel with no pay, while she constantly got raped and abused.  Kristof writes "A new study suggests that post-traumatic stress disorder is frequent among those who have been trafficked" (Kristof 15).  This factual evidence supports the claim that these girls that are forced into modern day slavery are impacted for the rest of their life, even after they are free.  As well as the eye-opening facts that Kristof uses to draw in his audience of readers of the New York Times, he also uses rhetorical questions in the beginning and end of his article to provoke thought into the audience.  Right at the start, Kristof writes "When readers hear about “modern slavery” in America or abroad, they may roll their eyes and assume that’s an exaggeration. Slavery? Really? Modern slavery? " (Kristof 1).  As well as the beginning, Kristof finishes his piece by writing "In the 21st century, isn’t it finally time to abolish slavery forever?" (Kristof 20).  These rhetorical questions do not simply give the mind a "yes or no" answer.  They require deeper thinking for an answer.  They help his purpose by creating an active reading atmosphere for the audience.  They can think of solutions to end modern day slavery as well, allowing everyone to contribute and work together to stop slavery.
Kristof successfully informs his audience on the still occurring problems with slavery and forced work that go on, and provokes thought and solutions from the audience by using rhetorical questions.  His purpose to spread awareness of modern day slavery and including his audience in working together to find a solution is achieved.

TOW #6- Immigration in the Kitchen (non-fiction)

"Barbecue with a side of reform," an article written by staff writer Michael Matza for the Philly Inquirer, focuses on the immigration issues that our country faces, and how it impacts over 500,000 kitchen workers.  Matza is a two time Pulitzer Prize winner, who also is a veteran foreign correspondent who was based in the Middle East.  His vast knowledge of immigration is why he is one of the only writers that just focuses on immigration.  At a time in our country where immigration is one of the leading issues, this front page article could not be more prevalent.
In the article, Matza focuses on the restaurant Barbacoa, and speaks with owner of it Ben Miller.  Miller's overall goal is to create a better opportunity to live in the US for those illegal chefs that work just as hard as anyone else, and Mazta channels it for him.  Matza uses facts and inspiring anecdotes from Miller's life to show how illegal immigrants working in the kitchen only do good to benefit society despite their reputation of being drug dealers and tax evaders.  Matza quotes highly respected former governor of New York Michael Bloomberg, who once said "Our businesses broke the law by employing them (illegal immigrants), but our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported" (Matza A7).  Coming from Bloomberg, this quote directly speaks on the huge positive impact that these hard working chefs and busboys provide to the American economy.  As well as facts, Mazta tells inspiring anecdotes from chef Ben Miller's life.  Ben is married to immigrant Cristina Martinez, who is also a head chef at his restaurant.  Years ago when Martinez was attempting to come into the U.S, she was caught by border patrol and cited.  Due to this, she cannot possess a green card; if she wants to go back to Mexico to visit her family, she can only return to the States illegally, by paying smugglers up to $8,000.  Mazta includes this story to show that the majority of immigrants that are working in kitchens mean absolutely no harm, yet they cannot see their family back home in any easy way.  This provides a feeling of pity in the audience, furthering his appeal to pathos.  Matza successfully utilises these devices to prove his purpose, as him and Ben Miller have started an upcoming movement in the restaurant industry to improve immigration laws for those coming outside the U.S that want to work in restaurants.

TOW #5- visual

The news is flooded with pictures and stories of the refugees fleeing parts of the Middle East for Europe.  ISIS and other extremist groups are rapidly killing and threatening innocent citizens, which has created a mass movement of refugees fleeing the terror.  Cartoonist David Horsey illustrates here "a refugees view of the world". Horsey is a Pulitzer Prize winning artist, whose works are published in U.S. News, L.A Times, and many other newspapers around the world. In this cartoon specifically, Horsey is drawling for an audience of US News readers, or anyone interested in the immigration conflicts occurring overseas. He depictes the horrible and brutal circumstances for the immigrants, and how both sides of their world are filled with terror.  

The use of juxtaposition compares the dictators and fanatical terrorists that impact these people, forcing them to leave their own country.  He compares them as both frightening animals that are bringing hell to earth as they fight each other and the citizens that reside besides the.  As well as juxtaposition, he utilizes compelling imagery, turning the words of "dictator" or "terrorist" into a great beast that the refugees are running from.  Now that the reader sees these words as not only a compilation of letters but a chaos creating machine, they began to feel sympathy for the refugees.  Due to his use of these rhetorical devices, he is able to show that all the refugees know is violence and terror. His purpose here is clear and effective, allowing the observer to see that the refugees mean no harm; they simply are running from the horrible violence that their countries are filled with.  I believe that he does a very effective job in achieving his purpose, as anyone viewing this cartoon could not help but feel hatred for the "beasts" and sorrow for the refugees. 

TOW #4- Wild Ones (IRB)

Wild Ones by Jon Mooallem is a nonfiction book that describes the current day issues of human interaction with the environment, and the way that the climate is changing.  Mooallem, a journalist and writer for The New York Times, is a well known author on the topic of the relationship between humans and animals.  In his introduction, he writes about all the animal printed clothing and blankets his daughter has, and how they seem to be "lovey dovey" yet in the real world, animals are becoming extinct and less "lovey dovey" faster than ever.  

Mooallem travels around the world to different areas where endangered species are living telling personal anecdotes.  In the first chapter, he visits Churchill, an area in the tundra high up in Canada.  This is one of the polar bear capitals of the world.  Companies run tours here, showing the tourists the wildlife, but as well as informing them of the climate change that is slowing taking out the polar bear race.  While Mooallem was visiting, he happened to be there while Martha Stuart was filming a segment on polar bears as well.  He recalls on how the tour guides all wanted to follow Martha Stewart and feed her correct information about the polar bears, because the best way to make people aware of extinction is through popular celebrity figures like her.  As Mooallem humorously writes, "Something that I'd kind of suspected for hours was suddenly obvious: we were chasing Martha Stewart across the tundra" (19).  This humorous anecdote that not only makes the reader laugh, adds to Mooallem's purpose to spread climate change and animal extinction awareness.  Once adding something funny into a text, the reader automatically enjoys reading more, because it gives light to a dull or dark topic.  This was just one of the many anecdotes that Mooallem uses to achieve his purpose, but the others he writes about such as going to Antioch Dunes to study butterflies,  all add to supporting his purpose, clearly showing that he accomplished what he intended.  Not having read the whole book, I still became interested on the topic of climate change, which is exactly what Mooallem was trying to accomplish; engage the audience of anyone from animal lovers to politicians on this modern day debate that needs a solution.