TOW #7: Written - "C.E.O. of Texas Hospital Group Apologizes for Mistakes in Ebola Cases" by Frances Robles and Manny Fernandez

Ebola seemed to be the name of a foreign disease until it became a reality for the United States. Thomas Duncan, who was the carrier of the disease entered Houston, Texas after a trip from Africa. Despite admitting into the hospital for symptoms that matched those of Ebola, the hospital misdiagnosed the disease and sent Duncan on his way. After this visit to the hospital, Duncan soon passed away due to the detrimental disease.

Outrage for the misdiagnosis of the disease was directed towards the hospital. The New York Times published an article that was about an apology of the medical errors and the protocols that will be taken to ensure that no one else is infected with the disease. The C.E.O., in his apology, utilizes pathos. Clearly emphasizing that the hospital staff members made mistakes, he accepts these errors and hopes that the public will understand. He repeatedly states that despite the best intentions of the hospital, the staff made mistakes due to human errors such as a lack of communication. When the authors of the article described the situation of ebola, they provided visual text (seen below). With the use of a calendar, they depicted the series of events in chronological order. This provided readers who were not knowledgeable about the situation with background information.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/us/ceo-of-texas-hospital-group-at-center-of-ebola-scare-apologizes-for-mistakes.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

The article addresses the hysteric public. Ebola seems to be more realistic and fear has stuck many of the American people. In order to appease the public, the authors describe the precautions and protocols taking place. With the meticulous steps described by health officials, this brings peace and a sense of more security for the public who is afraid of also being affected by the disease. The article even mentions the two nurses who currently have the disease and explains the very low possibility of other hospital staff becoming sick.

Robles and Fernandez attempt to convince the public that health facilities are doing the best to keep the disease contained and monitored. I believe that the article gives off a sense of relief to those who may have been worried. Keeping the public calm is crucial to the fight against Ebola.

TOW #6: Written - "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston

Being born colored is inaccurate; one becomes or feels colored. Colored is not the tone of skin, but the feeling of being different in a situation. In Hurston's essay, she uses diction and metaphor as a means of achieving pathos to explain that one's physical attributes does not dictate who he is. The Great Stuffer of Bags fills different colored bags with similar jumble.

Hurston explains how she was not born colored, but she became colored. "I remember the very day that I became colored" (114) explains how one is not born colored. Being colored is simply an emotion one feels. This is seen when Hurston explains how she "was not Zora of Orange County any more" but "a little colored girl" (115). By focusing on verbs, Hurston emphasizes that she is colored at times and simply Zora in others. This contrast between the two Zora's exemplifies how being colored is not something one is born into, but an emotion that people when they feel out of place like when she was "thrown against a sharp white background"(115). Diction is a strong weapon that Hurston uses to emphasize that no one is born colored. Even in her title, she says "How it Feels to Be Colored Me". The key word to the title is “feels”, the verb. Everyone is human, and being colored is an emotion felt when one believes he is out of place.

In Hurston's conclusion, she uses a metaphor. With the Great Stuffer of Bags, she explains that people are like bags. The bags are different colors like red, white, yellow, and brown (which she says she is). When emptying the contents of the bag, the jumble is all the same. This metaphor carries the deeper meaning that people, despite the different color of skin, are all the same. Everyone is human. This supports her argument that being colored is not a physical trait.

Hurston's use of metaphor and diction was an excellent and effective means of creating pathos. I was able to sympathize with Hurston and understand her perspective. Truly, the Great Stuffer of Bags has placed similar contents to those in the bags of my classmates, friends, and peers.

TOW #5: Visual - "Waiting for the Signal from Home..." by Dr. Seuss

www.whereiscat.com

Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. Created on February 13, 1942, Dr. Seuss's political cartoon reflects the suspicious mindset of many American citizens; the Japanese immigrants in America were spies who will destroy the country from within. It is evident through his usage of diction and stereotypical caricature that he also believed the Japanese-Americans would  betray America.

People of Japanese descent are seen traveling from many different states across America to receive a box of TNT, or dynamite. With the depiction of happy Japanese-Americans, Dr. Seuss indicates that the Japanese-Americans are not to be trusted and will destroy the country, happily and surely. The stereotypical caricature of the people is obvious. With the slanted eyes and mustaches, Dr. Seuss racist mindset is seen by the exaggerated facial features of these men. These exaggerated features also clearly identify these men as Japanese.

Hung above the man giving away TNT is a sign that reads, "Honorable Fifth Column". Dr. Seuss's usage of diction is interesting, for the fifth column is a group of traitors who betray their country and sympathize with their country's enemy. The adjective, honorable, is used to explain how Americans believed that the Japanese-Americans consider betraying America as a righteous, good deed for their motherland. A phrase is also written at the top of the political cartoon which reads, "Waiting for the Signal from Home...". This is the name of the cartoon and connects to the man with the telescope. The man is looking towards the west, indicating that the Japanese-Americans are ready to launch a surprise attack from within once they receive a signal from Japan.

Taking into consideration the time period, I believe that this cartoon would have been effective and persuasive. Dr. Seuss's main objective is to convince the viewer that the Japanese-Americans are enemies of America who are planning to ruin the country. In a time of chaos and hysteria with deeply rooted mentalities of racism, the American people believed and agreed to Dr. Seuss's political cartoon. This belief eventually led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans into internment camps. Ironically, these camps were similar to the concentration camps America was combating against.