Close Reading: "Lack of soap means illness, death for millions of children"

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/15/health/cnnheroes-soap-hygiene/index.html?hpt=he_t3

The author of this article describes how the lack of soap can kill millions across the world. The author uses diction and imagery to further the readers understanding on how soap leads to proper hygiene and prevents death for the underprivileged.
When analyzing the cause of death in countries that are on the brink of war and that are "politically vulnerable", the author comes to a consensus that these stress factors contribute to the cause of illness and poor sanitation. These choice of words such as "politically vulnerable" shows that the author is targeting the less fortunate to portray how more privileged countries, such as America, take objects such as soap for granted. This shows that the author wants to make it clear that we undermine the power of soap, as it could be "worth more than a day's wage to afford" in other countries. Thus, the author tries to convey her message with such  power with words and phrases to make the readers appreciate the advantages of soap.
The author uses imagery when describing the earthquake that hit Haiti and how millions were forced to live in communal tents and "use water that was contaminated" to further exploit her message that soap can save millions of lives. By describing the spread of cholera through out Haiti and how millions had to share bathrooms with contaminated water, the author over powers us with her strong sense of words and images that she paints in our minds of these consequences of the earthquake that hit Haiti. The readers can feel sympathy for those that are less fortunate, and can only be thankful for the fact that they are able to wash their hands. The author also describes how Dia, a member of the hotel staff that cleans rooms, "retrieves gently used bars of soap in each room" and keeps them for herself. Through this image, the author conquers our emotions by making us feel grateful that we can afford soap while simultaneously making us feel guilty that we take it for granted when people such as Dia takes used soap to keep herself sanitary. While we waste away our money on more materialistic possessions, Dia considers soap to be a luxury. Thus, the author conquers our emotions through this powerful image. 

Response to Course Material 11/20

After revising my work from this past month, I have come to realize how much I have improved on my organization skills when it comes to my essays. Not only have I learned how to keep my paragraphs in an essay relevant to the topic, but I have made sure that my essays flow in a sequential manner. In this aspect, I have redeemed myself from all of my lack of coherency in my previous essays. 

On another note, the in class essay we had to do on "A Barred Owl" and "The History Teacher" opened my eyes to finding DIDLS when it came to comparisons and contrasts of both poems. I accurately found the meaning of both poems, but failed on giving valid explanations for both of them. I will make sure to improve on doing so throughout the year. Another flaw I noticed in my writing is the way I insert quotes in my essays, I will be sure that they sound like they belong there rather than throw them in there as evidence. Finding errors in my writing allows me to fix them and flourish as a writer. Thus, it will only get better as the year progresses. 

Annotating "Death of A Salesman" helped me understand common Western rules in stories such as the conflict between father and son in Western society or how the West represents a new beginning. I am glad that our in class discussions helped me further my understanding on these subjects, as they appeared to be vague to me before. 

Open Prompt: November 13th

1993. "The true test of comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter." Choose a novel, play, or long poem in which a scene or character awakens "thoughtful laughter" in the reader. Write an essay in which you show why this laughter is "thoughtful" and how it contributes to the meaning of the work.

A true piece of comedy is said to evoke "thoughtful laughter" which causes one to think intellectually about a joke or subject. In "The American Dream", Edward Albee promotes thoughtful laughter by presenting scenarios where intellectual thought must be applied. Albee uses various techniques such as tone and diction to show how the manipulation of power and contrast of idealistic values promotes laughter. 

 Mommy is proven to be masculine; she is given more power than Daddy. This represents the idea that women have more power than men shows a "backward society" , which contrasts the idealistic value that men have more power than women. Albee uses this technique to promote laughter through a series of events such as Mommy forcing daddy to laugh at her jokes or forcing Daddy to answer the door upon her command. When Daddy is hesitating to answering the door, Mommy states "You're indecisive, you're a woman" ( Albee 18), this shows that Mommy is well aware of the lack of coherent thought that women possess but also that Daddy's inability to be more masculine is a flaw in his character, as if being a women makes him less authoritative. It is evident that Mommy is strong and firm in her actions, and Daddy is weak and has no control. Through this contrast of idea, the audience can clearly see how the manipulation of power promotes laughter.

Mommy and Daddy commonly address each other in a child-like tone. When Mommy goes shopping and ends up buying the same hat twice just to feel that she bought a "beige colored hat" rather than a "wheat colored hat", Daddy applauds at her immature behavior when she throws a fit in the store. The idea that Daddy would promote childlike behavior presents how Mommy needs attention at all times. This promotes thoughtful laughter because the audience is forced to think about how once one has grown up, society does not address each other in a childish manner and constantly nag for attention. In this sense, Mommy is once again given more power, and Daddy is forced to encourage her immature behavior; he is less authoritative in this respect and has no control. 

Albee uses diction and tone to show how Mommy is given more power than Daddy. Through a series of events that contrast to idealistic values, he promote "thoughtful laughter" that displays the manipulation of power in a backwards society.