“The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses. “Malcom X
David after eating is shooed away, David’s grandfather Julian gives him a .22 target pistol and asks him to shoot the “goddamn coyotes”. This is Julian’s way of ensuring that David, a child, will not return for a while, so the adults can speak. David rides off the ranch on his horse Nutty. Shooting round after round not aiming at anything worthwhile until he shoots a magpie”. The shooting of the magpie represents that good people can do bad things “I realized these strange, unthought-of connections—sex and death, lust and violence, desire and degradation—are there, there, deep in even a good hearts chambers”. The emotions David experiences awakens him to a calmness he has been longing for. After “Marie’s illness, Uncle Frank’s sins, the tension between my mother and father” David “needed to kill something” to release his emotional frustration which manifested in anger. The shooting of the magpie is the symbolic for David’s change, maturing him within the night. David thinks now he has power, the power to kill, aiming at Frank he wonders if the gun had been loaded and what would happen. David is very naïve in this way, as he believes he can deal with the consequences when he clearly cannot. However, he is
A strong written argument is supported by several methods that are used to legitimize the author’s position as well as to discredit any counterargument brought forth. The techniques include introducing a counterargument and weakening it’s position with evidence. Providing legitimate academic research such as statistics as well as anecdotes from scholars on the given subject can reinforce the author’s argument. Another important method used is requiring the reader to critically think about a subject brought forth by challenging their preconceived ideas about a topic. This may also include using hidden assumptions that use implicit statements which have a certain opinion such as “If I follow the rules, good things will happen”, this is common
Since the dawn of mankind, clusters of innovations throughout history have allowed for societal progression at an explosive rate. While primarily fostering a centrifugal system of advancements; humans’ interests in expansion is spiraling out of control. Throughout history elements of collapse can be traced through civilizations and natural resources. Wright’s argument posits humans have hyperextended their utilization of resources at a rate that cannot be replenished, therein by setting up the world for the largest ecological collapse in history (Wright, 2004, pg. 130-131). Due to the cyclical process of past collapse and reformation humans have an advantage to rectify our current consumption rates ultimately avoiding a fate similar to past societies (Wright, 2004, pg. 131). As such Wright’s argument should frame larger discussions of responsible citizenship.
Most of the story is about the coming of age of Dave. Dave wants to show the people who he works with that he is mature. “Dave wants dearly to gain the respect and power so closely associated with manhood” (website no names). Dave wants to show the guys that he is a man and that he is not a kid anymore. He wants to be seen as a man so he goes and buys a gun. Richard Wright, Author of The Man Who Was Almost a Man states “One day of these days he was going to get a gun and practice shooting, then they couldn’t talk to him as though he were a little boy” (Wright 2246). Dave believes that by buying a gun he can show the men that he is not a little boy anymore.
Nicholas Carr Claimed that the internet affects our information processing. Carr backed up his argument by speaking with a wide array of educated and reputable people like friends, colleagues, a blogger, GMU and a professor making his argument validity greater. Carr admits that he and his friends also; have the same problem by saying that he was appealing to emotions by using Ethos.
The most obvious symbol mentioned in this story is the gun. Throughout the story, the gun is constantly shown as a symbol for power, as well as masculinity and independence. Several times throughout the course of the story the narrator states, “If anybody could shoot a gun, he could” (Wright 222). In the fields, Dave is treated as a child, and he believes that he is an adult and should be treated as once, which includes owning a gun. Dave is disillusioned by the gun, and believes that it will solve all of his problems and strengthen his weaknesses, including granting him independence. Dave fails to realize that not being able to properly operate a gun only relinquishes freedom. This can be further evidenced when Dave accidentally shoots Jenny, the mule. This situation should have put an end to Dave’s obsession with power and guns, but instead he was still fascinated, demonstrating his lack of maturity and development. Overall, the gun demonstrates the maturity, independence, and developmental level that Dave wishes to achieve, but severely lacks.
In the article ‘Calgary man shows medical record as proof of election night assault’, by Aaron Chatha, Chris Ball recounts his attack that occurred on November 8th 2016, and has now provided the public with medical records indicating the treatment he received as a result. Since Mr. Ball has come forward with the details of the attack, there has been public outcry in regards to the assailants justifying their actions as they attacked Mr. Ball. Following the attack, the Santa Monica Police Department issued a statement. Within the statement police allude that Chris Ball was drinking at a bar where everyone was watching the election. As the polls began to come in people started shouting homophobic slurs, where Mr. Ball got into it with his attackers.
Dave also thrives on embodying the “underdog identity”. Being a twentysomething year old, one is still searching to discover who they are and what their identity is. Dave has had several identities pushed onto him because of his situation such as Toph’s parent, an orphan, and a steady provider all while still maintaining his role as an older brother, but one of the biggest identities is the underdog, the victim rising from the ashes. During his inner dialogue, Dave says: “you like that stance, that underdog stance, because it increases your leverage with other people” (Eggers 119). Him saying this directly acknowledges the fact that he is using his situation to gain moral authority over others, an authority which he believes he is entitled to because of his situation. Dave, no matter where he goes or what he does in life, will always be the victim of a sad event, his parent’s deaths will always be a part of him and his story, but he is using it to define his
After a hard day at work, seventeen year old Dave heads across the fields for home, still thinking about some of the problems he had been facing with some other field help that day. He wants to prove to the others that he is not a child, anymore. “Mebbe Ma will lemme buy one when she gits mah pay from ol man Hawkins. Ahma beg her t gimme some money. Ahm ol ernough to hava gun. Ahm seventeen. Almost a man” (par. 1). Dave heads to the store to shop for a gun. He manages to talk Joe (storekeeper) to let him borrow the catalog for the night. Joe is surprised that
Dave is depersonalized by his mother and treated as less than human. She would refuse to call him by his name but refers to him only as “The Boy.” It is this that enables her to ill-treat him and not be troubled by her conscience. She then goes even further when she uses the impersonal pronoun that give the book its title: “You are a nobody! An It! You are nonexistent! You are a bastard child! I hate you and I wish you were dead!” With this attempt to delegitimize Dave’s entire existence, she is through her eyes denying him the right to live. This is how Dave’s mother found it easy to inflict inhuman punishment on
I’m pretty sure Craig Spencer felt the exact same way when he ate at a public restaurant, rode the subway, and went bowling in Brooklyn and look where that has gotten him. Troops who are returning from West Africa are being quarantined just like the astronauts of Apollo 11 were quarantined and no one thinks or thought any less of them for doing so. I believe that it is more heroic of them to have taken the necessary precautions to protect even more people than they already have rather than to just puff out their chests and say they’re invincible. In an article called “Ebola-Quarantine Objections are Frivolous,” Law Professor Eugene Kontorovich elaborated on the fact that courts have continuously advocated for quarantines for infectious diseases like tuberculosis and smallpox.
Both letter to the editor and editorial staff offer position that are supported by both facts and opinions. The letter explores to urges the new reusable bag ordinance while the editorial staff argues that they are serious about making Proposition 328 mandatory in every store. While both side make an acceptable case, it is clear that the letter provides a better argument.
Besides BonJour's argument of illustrative examples, moderate rationalism is defended by two intimately related dialectical arguments. The argument is that the denial of a priori justification will lead to a severe skepticism, in which only the most direct experience could be justified. Stemming from this severe skepticism, comes the stronger argument that argumentation itself becomes impossible. This essay will describe the distinct segments of the argument and will demonstrate the relationship between the two arguments.
Dave in the story tries to present himself as this kid who is now a man, he wants to showcase to others that he is no longer some little kid that can be made fun of. Even though his actions don’t resemble those of a man, but instead of a kid who is trying to act like one, his thinking that a gun is what makes a man and certain actions that take place is what makes him a consistent character. From beginning to end his mindset of what makes a man doesn’t change, but instead is reinforced after he is humiliated. “Something hot seemed to turn over inside him each time he remembered how they had laughed” (Wright 188).