An Awkward Silence - Original Writing

For the music industry, Simon and Garfunkel, musical rock artists during this time, wrote “Sound of Silence” in 1966. This song displayed sequences of guitar, bass, and drums and quickly became a pop hit due to the increased tempo, in which Simon and Garfunkel only found out about after it was recorded.

‘Babies’ is a documentary film which chronicles the first year of life of four babies spanning the globe. Documentarian Thomas Balmès fans out to the grasslands of Namibia, the plains of Mongolia, the high rises of Tokyo and the busy streets of San Francisco in a study of culture, societal structure, geography and tradition, along with parental love and the impact all these elements have on child rearing. In the hunting and gathering society of Namibia and pastoral Mongolia, Balmès follows Ponijao and Bayar and in postindustrial Tokyo and San Francisco we are introduced to Mari and Hattie. While the 1:18 film has no real dialogue, viewers are able to get a distinct feel for each baby’s personality, the role they play within the family

Could the killing of an unborn disabled child be considered acceptable in today’s society? Selective infanticide is a very controversial topic that many have argued about over past years. In her article “Unspeakable Conversations” disabilities activist and lawyer Harriet McBryde Johnson demonstrates her viewpoint on this issue. She writes this article as a story, with herself being the narrator. It follows her journey as she feuds with Peter Singer, a Princeton University professor, who has an opposing perspective regarding the killing of unborn disabled children. With this in mind, Johnson reveals her point of view using the strategy of a Rogerian argument and the rhetorical elements of

I let my eyes wander out to the empty field outside, thinking of the future and the past. I part another chapter of my life to be a mother. Perhaps I am giving up my independence like sacrifices to please an angry god, or rather goddess. The answers are not all there, but at least one part of my world is established, a small but important comfort. I look towards the child one last time as if she were a mirage in a hot desert. She no longer cries in her father’s arms, voice and energy drained from its earlier tantrums into existence.

The story describes a change in everyday life following motherhood, as well as the seductive pleasure found in providing for, caring for, and sacrificing for a little one-- all to see yourself: “in the dark pool / of your baby’s eyes” (Brandt, 13/14).

I could sit here and share with the board a sad story of a young child whose single mother worked the graveyard shift every day of the week, just to provide for her four young children. I could also share how despondent that I felt growing up, and how my mother shopped for my clothes from thrift shops, how she would get excited when she found something named brand for us. But I won't do that, instead I would like to introduce you to a delightfully chaotic little girl named Audriana- Faith. On August 15, 2012 Audriana-Faith was born at 1:41 am, weighing in 6 pounds and 12 ounces. The day my daughter was born was a day embedded in my memory, but it was not the best day of my life. I know that's what you're supposed to say, but becoming a mother

I observed Harper, a 23 month old little girl that is full of energy. Also participating in the interaction with Harper was her mother and five year old sister, Mya. Harper is very friendly and outgoing. She is very interested “reading books” and loves to be read to. She enjoys helping her mother clean and do simple tasks. She seems to be very confident with and without her mother in her sight. Harper’s father is not actively involved in her life because he lives in another state.

Such a dear baby! And yet I can not be with him, it makes me so nervous.” All that Jane really needs is to be able to see her baby. Everyone is controlling her in some way, and the people not allowing her to see her baby are slowly making things worse.

On January 29, 2001 at around four o’clock in the afternoon, a beautiful little girl named Leslie Arreaga was born. It was the first time I was able to hold and see a baby so up close. When I saw her for the first time I didn’t know what to say. All I told my parents was “ I love her and she is perfect.” My parents laugh at me because I was only four years old when she was born. I just couldn’t believe that I was finally an older sister. I remember that every time a person would come in and try to hold her I would give them a look saying “ If you hurt her, I will hurt you.” Leslie was the most precious little baby I had ever seen in my little four year life. She was so chubby, with big brown eyes and a little heart shaped mouth. The day my

“Everybody loves babies”, a trademark quote from the documentary movie “Babies” features an insight on the many reasons babies are loved. Although many documentaries are narrated, director Thomas Balmès uses a different approach by eliminating a voiceover. By manifesting this film without narration, he focuses on a learning technique all babies go through in their early stages of life. Aiming for viewers to learn from observation, as babies do, we are left to focus on the babies, their environment and interactions. Through subtitles, this film reveals the different locations the footage of the four newborns are from. By viewing the babies different upbringings from different cultures, we learn how the various lifestyles of each culture impacts a child’s development. The babies are Hattie from California, Mari from Japan, Bayar from Mongolia, and Ponijao from Namibia.The film shows the infancy and toddlerhood period of the babies as well as their development physically, cognitively, and socially.

I get to my seat, letting the tears fall into my lap. Matt quickly jogs to the seat next to me, making sure to not spill either of the two cups of coffee. Even though I rejected the coffee before, he offers me another cup. This time I take it into one of my hands as I wipe my tears with the other, the cup warming up my cold hand. He lifts up my chin with his hand, but then I notice the little streaks of red on the

Over the period of four separate babysitting sessions of five hours, a four year-old was observed going about her daily routine and interacting with her two grandmothers. This subject, identified as Leah herein, is a Caucasian female currently enrolled in a co-op preschool class in her local community of Redondo Beach, California. Leah lives in a middle class income home with her birth mother age 45 who works as a hair stylist, her birth father age 33 who manages an auto repair shop, and her little sister age 1.

Some argue that corrupt police officers are simply the product of a corrupt culture of the agency they work for. These officers are socially introduced to a number of informal rules when they begin employment. This process and these rules serve two main purposes. First, this process is designed to minimize the chances of external or internal controls being mobilized to address the behaviors and, secondly, to keep corrupt activities at a level that is acceptable and likely undetectable. The rule most often referred to in this connection, is the “Code of Silence.” Officers are socialized into not cooperating with investigations regarding fellow officers. Whether or not the officer participates in corrupt activities for financial gain, an officer’s adherence to the “Code of Silence” places them squarely amongst the corrupt of the profession (Price, 1972).

Public communication is very important when in a discussion with coworkers and such. The one weakness that some people run into is silence. The spiral of silence theory by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann explains why certain people fall under the pressure and seclude to silence. Silence may not always be a bad thing, but according to a study by Lucy J. MacGregor, the fact is that silence during a speech or conversation is absolutely bad. With this, silence while talking to a large group negatively affects the listeners in a way in which some words in the speech will not be remembered. The point is that silence tends to destroy people’s speeches. Words are forgotten in the speech; Loss of the attention by the listeners happens and the

breakfast be back in a few minutes." "Ok I'll be ready by then," I said. My parents left