Introduction to IRB #3- The Big Short

Michael Lewis, the author of The Blind Side and Moneyball, published The Big Short a few years ago. It is based off a true story about how a few financial nerd analysts predicted the economic collapse in 2008 and made millions off of it. Now a major motion picture, The Big Short reveals the lucrativeness of the financial world. 

TOW #16- The Front Lines non-fiction)

The conflicts in the Middle East occurring now with ISIS, The Kurds, and regular Iraqi civilians are a testament to the damaged world we live in today. The Middle East is filled with more good than bad, yet naturally the media only broadcasts the bad that occurs. In last weeks Janurary issue of the New York Times, Luke Mogelson wrote a piece of the Iraqi citizens and Kurish forces that fight for their right to live against the Islamic state.  Mogelson, an award winning writer, uses captivating diction and anecdotes from Iraqis to inform the public of those who are on the front lines in Iraq, fighting against evil. 

The captivating diction that Mogelson uses allows the reader to imagine exactly what is going on, while captivating them to read more. He writes, "Its metal shutter lay on the sidewalk in a heap, like unfurled cloth" (Mogelson). This use of descriptive language engages the reader and gives them a perspective of what he was viewing in the destroyed Iraqi village. This is an appeal to pathos as well, as the wreckage that he is describing is a devastating outcome of the battle between good and bad. 

Once he captures the readers, he begins to tell an anecdote of one Iraqi soldiers life, providing a first hand viewpoint of what it is like to live in a war torn country. When telling about a young Sunni fighter's life, he quotes what they said, stating "I can't take this anymore! They're killing our families fifteen minutes away from here!" This places the reader in the shoes of one in Iraq, and changes their viewpoint of what it is like having to deal with living next door to terrorists. 

From captivating diction to anecdotes of those who have first hand experience living in Iraq, Mongelson successfuly writes an article explaining the horrors that take place in the fight against the Islamic state, but the goods that are going against the evils, which the media fails to present to the rest of the world. 

TOW #15- Cartoon Contest (Visual)

Each year, the New York Times does a cartoon contest where anyone can participate in.  Kids, teachers, students, and more are allowed to submit their drawings.  The cartoon above was drawn by  14 year old, Elise Mccomb.  Although Mccomb may just be a freshman in high school, her understanding of modern day politics and the issues that The United States face with immigration is an issue that needs to be addressed. By using guilt and harsh diction, Mccomb won the contest and produced a meaningful cartoon. 

The guilt that the 14 year old student used was in her drawling itself. She using Dora, a lovable fictional character to make the reader feel guilty that Trump is yelling at her. The reader is then hooked into cartoon once they feel emotion. Her appeal to pathos here is then further exemplified with the guilty diction she uses. She writes "where should we go next?" In an innocent manner to appeal to pathos even more. 

Mccomb then uses harsh diction coming out of Trumps mouth  to make the reader feel bad for Dora. The use of red outline of the speech bubble also makes his words seem more violent as well. 

Through her appeal to pathos throughout this cartoon, this 14 year old student successfuly creates a winning cartoon with meaning behind it. 

TOW #14- Secret Promoter (non-fiction)

A$AP Yams, one of the leading contributors to the success of many rap artists due to his powerful promotional skills and connections he made throughout his life, died last year of "acute mixed-drug intoxication."  In the December issue of the New York Times magazine, "The Lives They Lived" is a section that they do annually to honor those who passed away in the given year.  A$AP Yams, also known as Steven Rodriguez was among those honored in the 2015 "The Lives They Lived" issue.  Amos Barshad, author of the article and writer for the New York Times, honors Rodriguez's life so gracefully by using captivating diction and having a positive outlook on Yams life.
Barshad's use of captivating diction allows the reader to process the words in aw, as they give a special touch to Yams life.  Barshad describes Yams as "an ideal Internet user: a cultural polyglot who found beauty in its expansiveness."  The sentence has a rhythmic feel that the reader is automatically attracted to which draws their attention in.  Barshad captivates the audience to want to read about Yams, and then moves onto his life once the reader is paying attention.
Barshad speaks only once about Yams actual death; he focuses on the positives in his life and the features that made Rodriguez the man he was.  His overall positive outlook that he provides on Yams gives the reader a different viewpoint than of the drug-addict Harlem raised rapper that others knew him as.
By using captivating diction and focusing his article on only the positives in Yams life, Amos Barshad and the New York Times Magazine successfully honor a cultural icon that died too young.  Barshard also teaches a further lesson to his readers; looking at the bright side and appreciating the positives in life is much more uplifting than focusing on the down side.