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Tone in "A Small Needful Fact" - Keira Howard

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Tone in "A Small Needful Fact" - Keira Howard

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Tone reflects the writer's attitude toward the subject matter or audience of a literary work.  In the poem, “A Small Needful Fact” by Ross Gay, the tone is gentle and warm, emphasizing the need to act gentle and warm with nature.  The speaker explains how, “[Eric Garner] with his very large hands, / perhaps, in all likelihood, / he put gently into the earth /some plants” (Gay).  Garner is a large man, but he is careful with the earth to bring life.  The earth returns the favor by, “making it easier / for us to breathe” (Gay).  The relationship between humans and nature emphasizes the need to be gentle and caring with both people and nature in order to ensure the best life for everyone. Warmth provides an encouraging and open minded environment for the reader to consider their actions.  Garner demonstrates the benefits of this when, “he put gently into the earth / some plants” (Gay).  The tone compels readers to contemplate their actions, and it guides them toward adopting gentle and welcoming dispositions.

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Humor in " God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass" - Charline A

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Humor in " God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass" - Charline A

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In "God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass" by Sarah Vowell, she uses humor when she states that "every domestic flight requires a middle-aged man with a Stephen Ambrose book in his carry-on luggage- it's an FAA regulation." By pointing out the irony of the frequency of an old man who has some type of literary work's presence on a flight and blaming it on it being an FAA regulation- which it is commonly is not- she attempts to make her audience feel more at ease reading her piece, and assure that her essay will not be plain. This reflects her writing style which becomes informal and narrative.

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Rhetorical questions in "What to the Slave is the 4th of July" (Ali Ulusu)

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Rhetorical questions in "What to the Slave is the 4th of July" (Ali Ulusu)

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Rhetorical questions is the rhetorical device of asking questions to prove a point without expecting an answer. They serve a wide variety of purposes from adding to the tone of a piece of writing to proving and building logical points to an argument. An example of rhetorical questions that can be seen in Douglas's speech can be seen when he asks, "Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?... The slaveholders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of laws for their government... There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia, which, if committed by a black man, (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual and responsible being?” (Douglass 3). By asking these questions without expecting an answer, Douglas builds a logical argument after each question to aid him in being able to prove his point that black slave are just as human as whites and should be entitled to the same rights white people were entitled to during the time this was written.

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Henry asks “what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes…?” in order to shift the responsibility of the deteriorating relationship between the American colonies and the British onto Parliament and the crown. By rhetorically asking the audience to disprove a negative, Henry makes the audience unlikely to recall any instances of the British Parliament cooperating with the Americans by taking the responsibility of thinking outside the hands of the audience and placing it upon himself. - Dennis

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Rhetorical Questions in Henry's "Speech to the Virginia Convention"

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Rhetorical Questions in Henry's "Speech to the Virginia Convention"

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Lucie Bernard

Henry uses rhetorical questions throughout his speech to the Virginia Convention in order to emphasize his logic in why the people of the United States need to fight back against the British. Henry's pointed questions inspire thought processes in his audience that will serve as a catalyst for change towards Henry's objective of rebellion against the British. Henry also undermines the potential counterargument that America should wait to fight back until they are stronger by asking the questions, "But when shall we be stronger? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?" Henry's rhetorical questions support his logic in why fighting back is the only reasonable option.

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What to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?

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What to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?

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(Tejasvini Ramesh) In his speech, Frederick Douglass uses rhetorical questions to reveal the extent of oppression in American society. He asks "Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood?" (Douglass). By asking these questions, Douglass is not seeking an answer, rather, he is using them to expose the hypocrisy and oppression in America. For example, one can observe this when Douglass asks, "would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty?" (Douglass). Here, Douglass refers to how America is built upon the principle of liberty for all men, as stated in their Declaration of Independence, yet, the presence of slavery is a clear contradiction to those values.

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Parallel Structure in "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?"

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Parallel Structure in "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?"

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Parallelism, as Douglass employs it in his speech speaking out against slavery, serves to insult the American celebration of liberty and their implications to slaves, furthering his objective of exposing the hypocrisy of America.

"To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages" (Douglass 5-6).

With each barb directed toward Americans, Douglass is able to call upon self-reflection by Americans to see if these accusations are true in their country.

- Lucas Zhong

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In Sylvia Plath's poem Tulips, she uses many metaphors to engage the reader and help provide more insight into the narrator's thoughts and feelings. The narrator describes a picture of her husband and child smiling in a family picture, "their smiles catch onto [her] skin, little smiling hooks" (Plath). This is a metaphor for the memories that hurt and weigh her down because she doesn't know if she will ever be able to see her loved ones or make memories with them again. The narrator is in a state of choosing between life or death when she sees the photo next to her hospital bed, another reminder of who will miss her when she leaves. While she knows that her family would love to see her again and would love to be able to keep her in their lives, she feels annoyed by the smiles and the reminder that she needs to keep fighting for others when it would be easier to give up and finally be in peace.
- Kate Corsaro

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Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention

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Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention

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"Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?" (Henry).

In his speech to the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry attempts to convince Virginians to create a defense against the disliked British rule. Throughout the address, he asks the audience questions that he does not expect an answer to but instead aims to galvanize the audience to fight the British with them. These questions support his pathos, as he uses them to demonstrate the severity of British rule, comparing it to slavery. Additionally, he uses them to create a call to action by criticizing the current indolence of Virginia towards Birtain.

- Rathul Anand

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(HeeJee Yoon) From Luce's speech: "It is the effort to do this not only in matters of state, diplomacy, and politics but also in every smaller aspect of life that touches the public interest or engages proper public curiosity. It is the effort to explain...It is the effort, too, to describe the lives of men..."

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(HeeJee Yoon) From Luce's speech: "It is the effort to do this not only in matters of state, diplomacy, and politics but also in every smaller aspect of life that touches the public interest or engages proper public curiosity. It is the effort to explain...It is the effort, too, to describe the lives of men..."

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Luce's repetition of “It is the effort to” creates a greater sense of importance in what she believes good journalism is and what she expects from her audience. By listing all the efforts that journalists aim to achieve in this repetitive manner, she paints journalism as a near-impossible profession and glorifies journalism, illustrating her audience as heroes of modern-day society by uncovering truths and keeping the nation well-informed. In doing so, Luce highlights the nobleness of their profession but also challenges them with that same responsibility to strive towards improvement and reach--or even exceed-- that level of expectation, constantly pushing themselves to their maximum potential.

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Parallelism in "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?" (Evan)

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Parallelism in "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?" (Evan)

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In this speech made by Frederick Douglass, he uses parallelism when he asks the audience "“What? Am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to Rob them of their Liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters? Must I argue that a system thus marked with blood and stained with pollution is wrong?”. This quote is an example of parallelism because  Several consecutive clauses in this extended sentence are written in the same fashion, beginning with the word “to” and each highlighting an abuse faced by slaves.  The main purpose behind this quote is to emphasize the abuse that slaves have to endure each and every day, such as getting beaten with sticks and having their flesh flayed with a lash. By employing a parallel structure, Douglass is able to present the audience with a large amount of evidence quickly and efficiently in support of his authorial objective that the Fourth of July is a hypocritical celebration since it celebrates independence while simultaneously denying any of these rights to slaves.

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Allusion in a "Declaration of Sentiments" - Keira Howard

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Allusion in a "Declaration of Sentiments" - Keira Howard

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Throughout Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s speech, the “Declaration of Sentiments”, she heavily alludes to the Declaration of Independence.  Allusion is an implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing or to a part of another text.  By alluding to the Declaration of Independence, Stanton’s speech copies much of the introduction word for word, her speech copies the format, and her speech copies many of the examples.  Additionally, by citing a world renowned document, Stanton’s argument is driven forward by the credibility of the Declaration of Independence.  Allusion helps contextualize an argument and is a powerful rhetorical device that can help add credibility to an argument.

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Humor in "God will give you blood to drink in a souvenir shot glass" Julia Carter

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Humor in "God will give you blood to drink in a souvenir shot glass" Julia Carter

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Humor is used to convey many different ideas, topics, and emotions. It is also used to help appeal to the audience, and allow the readers to open up and feel vulnerable while reading a text. In the essay "God will give you blood to drink in a souvenir shot glass" Sarah Powell uses humor as a device to aid in her objective of reflecting on America's ignorance, and the importance of history throughout one's everyday life. Powell reflects on the Civil War stating it, "inspired some of the greatest American writing, scary sermons and Lincoln's speeches, which asks, to me the question: if you're so gung ho on the fellowship of your countrymen, why have you had your phone off the hook for the last four days?"(Vowell, 33). This work of sarcasm about Lincoln having a phone while also reflecting on great literature is the best way an author can use humor. Humor is present to help emphasize a point while thinking creatively about the issue, which Vowell does by extending more and more on Lincoln and his work while also making it digestible and lighthearted. Humor is worked into a lot of Vowell's process analysis to highlight and give way to certain ideas or allow readers to think of things in a different way than standard. Many people do not expect humor from standard essays, so humor helps keep readers' attention and also allows for a different kind of analysis within a text or issue.
Julia Carter

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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" Bhavik S.

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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" Bhavik S.

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A rhetorical question is a question asked by the speaker with its purpose being to build on an opinion made by them. In "What to the the Slave is the Fourth of July," written by Frederick Douglass, he asks the rhetorical question, "Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are not established?" Douglass uses this question to achieve his objective which is to prove that slavery is immoral. He does this by first making an obvious statement that "slavery is not divine." With this statement, he focuses on the absurdity of slavery and by making the point that slavery is not divine, making it unapproved by God, he expands his point that slavery is immoral.

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Allusion in "God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass" - Charline A

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Allusion in "God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass" - Charline A

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In her work, Sarah Vowell uses allusion to prove her early statement of being a history buff, but also to walk us through why she feels guilt at taking fascination in visiting locations where dark moments in history have taken place, and yet the way they have made her feel grateful for the life she has now. Sarah Vowell, for example, alludes to Andersonville, when she says "I whisper mantras to myself, mantras like 'Andersonville' ... 'Andersonville is a code word for 'You could be one of the prisoners of war dying of disease and malnutrition in the worst Confederate prison, so calm down about the movie you wanted to go to being sold out." Through this allusion, she displays the way her historical culture has placed her in a highly perspectival spectrum, in which she depicts her life as being highly privileged, and that the little imperfections do not even start to compare to some of the imperfections in others' lives.

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Tone in “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?” (Mahika) 

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Tone in “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?” (Mahika) 

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Tone is the writer’s attitude toward the subject they are writing about or the audience they are writing to. In “What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July,” Douglass expresses an urgent tone in this quote by using demanding words such as “needed” and “must.” He says that “The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.” Douglass uses an urgent tone towards white Americans who, blinded by patriotism, fail to recognize how the United States was built upon the oppression of slaves. He mentions that the crimes of slavery are crimes against God, who serves as the moral compass in most Americans’ lives. Douglass invokes religious arguments as a means of appealing to the Christian audience and calling on their internal desire to think of God as a caring and benevolent figure. In doing so, they can rely on their faith in God, driven by their emotional connection to religion, to oppose slavery. Douglass creates a sense of urgency through his tone by arguing through religion because if slavery is a crime against God, who invokes respect and loyalty within many Americans, then it is likely that actions will be taken to dismantle slavery immediately. By appealing to their emotional connection to God, white Americans fall into the hands of Douglass’ argument that their patriotism is nothing more than a cover-up for their inability to recognize the immorality of slavery.

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Oscar Li

"Became the sun, the hot sand, green seaweed anchored to a rock, swaying in the tide."

Edmund uses parallel structure to express how immersed the speaker was during his best memories. The parallel structure blends all the speaker's experiences to one to express just how euphoric his experiences were but how frustrated that he is a human and can not be more in tune with nature as he wishes.

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Humor in "God will Give you Blood to Drink in a Souvenir shot glass" - Taylor Faitel 

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Humor in "God will Give you Blood to Drink in a Souvenir shot glass" - Taylor Faitel 

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From an excerpt of "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" written by Sarah Vowell she writes about the lies and manipulative actions the US did during Imperialism and other unjust actions done by the US. Overall it's a very heavy topic that can be dreaded to be talked about and it can be a strenuous read. Sarah Vowell implemented comic relief for the reader to create a break and it also gave her the opportunity to make the piece more casual and allowed the reader to feel more connected to the speaker. Not only did she create comic reliefs but she also made fun of herself throughout the writing. She goes to one of her friends who is a psychologist and asked for her to explain why she craved to go to these horror sites that held death and massacre as her weekend getaway. " So you take your own happy self to sites of disaster in order to deconstruct your ambivalence... We use humor to manage anxiety" With this explanation on why the speaker creates a self-deprecating tone we better understand the speaker and the context on why she is talking and why she feels qualified to speak about this and how she gets her point across to the reader. without the humor implemented into the writing, it would not have created the perspective of the speaker that the reader would have understood.

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Repetition in "My Life's Sentences" (Mahika)

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Repetition in "My Life's Sentences" (Mahika)

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In “My Life’s Sentences,” Jhumpa Lahiri expresses her intense attachment to reading and writing. She emphasizes how sentences, across a variety of structures, can be meaningful and compelling. Lahiri consistently uses repetition throughout the piece, especially when she talks about sentences and how “they can be formal or casual. They can be tall or short or fat or thin. They can obey the rules or break them.” By listing the traits in which a sentence is structured in a repetitive way, Lahiri proves that there are endless ways to create a sentence, and they are not formulaic by any means. Her use of repetition places a big emphasis on her perspectives and constantly remind the reader of the authorial objective.

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Anabel Lowe

In Herman Melville's short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener", repetition is the main focus of Bartleby's character. Bartleby was infamous for his repetitive answers that drove the narrator crazy with anger. The scrivener continuously responded to the narrator with "'I prefer not to,' he [would say] respectfully and slowly" (Melville 12). Because Bartleby is so repetitive and mild in his response, the narrator characterized Bartleby a certain way. By saying "I prefer not to" over and over again, the author is trying to make a point about Bartleby's character. Bartleby was calm and quiet, and the repetitiveness of his words drives these traits into his character. The repetitiveness is also a symbol of how alone Bartleby was. Since being fired from the Dead Letter Office, being homeless, and working all day and night, Bartleby is a lonely man. The repetitiveness of his answers once again aids in revealing more about his character than is let on.

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In the "Declaration of Sentiments", Elizabeth Cady Stanton practices repetition by repeating the phrase "He has". For example, she states that "He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.

He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she had no voice" (Stanton). Stanton stating "he has" before all of the injustices she lists emphasizes that men alone put women under their tyranny and that they did not willingly subject themselves to their current position. In addition, Stanton also expresses that women will no longer tolerate this precedent and that they will fight for their equality.

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Joanna Chu

Gilman's diction creates an ominous mood, which connects to the atmosphere surrounding the narrator and to what the narrator is feeling. The narrator notices that the patterns on the wallpaper "connect diagonally, and the sprawling outlines run off in great slanting waves of optic horror, like a lot of wallowing seaweeds in full chase" (Gilman 320). Gilman applies a simile to compare the pattern of the wallpaper to wallowing seaweed, depicting an image of the kelp sloshing around in the ocean, as if it is useless. The wallpaper reminds the narrator of the seaweed because she feels as if she cannot do anything for her child, for her husband, or for herself. Gilman's choice of haunting words creates a dark and dreary mood to demonstrate the narrator's view on life.

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Rhetorical Questions in "Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention" - Charline A

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Rhetorical Questions in "Patrick Henry's Speech to the Virginia Convention" - Charline A

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Patrick Henry makes use of rhetorical questions in his Speech to the Virginia Convention to invoke his audience to reflect upon his argument. At one point, Patrick Henry asks, “Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted?” With the use of these rhetorical questions, Henry solidifies his request by asking the convention to reflect on the failed outcomes of their efforts towards simply reasoning with the British, and how the colonists are out of ideas on how to obtain more liberties other than starting a cavalry serving as defense from England.

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Oscar

Abraham Lincoln uses prose and a serious tone to convey the severity of the Proclamation. The second paragraph of the Proclamation reads "That on the first day of January... all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward and forever free." Lincoln's writing is clear and direct so that as many people can read and understand it. He also gets immediately to the point (this is the second sentence), conveying his tone, that slavery is a serious and important problem, that he is not playing around and that the people should follow his orders unless they want to face military enforcement.

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Parallel Structure in "Long Day's Journey into Night"

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Parallel Structure in "Long Day's Journey into Night"

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The main character in "Long Day's Journey into Night", Edmund, uses parallel structure to tell his father of the highlights in his life before he leaves to try and fight Tuberculosis. Edmund describes that while sailing he "...dissolved in the sea, became white sails and flying spray, became beauty and rhythm, became moonlight and the ship...". This use of parallel structure creates a freeing tone as he reminisces. As he is about to go off and fight his illness, Edmund tries to have his father understand the beauty of life that he his fighting for and the sense that comes from connecting with something beyond one's self. - Stella Dormer

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Metaphors in Stravinsky's text Julia Carter

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Metaphors in Stravinsky's text Julia Carter

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Metaphors are a useful device in any text, as they serve well to provide meaning to an object or idea, and allow the author to create long, thought out ideas within the same metaphor. They also allow for interpretation and give the readers free thinking, rather than treating the audience as if they do not understand the subject matter. In Stravinsky's text, he uses metaphors to convey his authorial objective that the conductors of the opera are inherently corrupt and the art of music is taken for granted. In doing so, he compares conductors' egos to diseases, and states, "the incidence of ego disease is naturally high to begin with...the disease grows like a tropical weed under the sun of the pandering public"(Stravinsky, 14-17). This metaphor of the public feeding the conductors' ego like the sun feeds a weed, while also implementing the conductors already have a disease, which is something spreadable and has a negative connotation, allows Stravinsky's authorial objective to shine through. A metaphor is useful here to give the readers something they can understand, while simultaneously explaining how he feels and views the conductors. Additionally, this enforces a specific impression on the readers, and metaphors allow that impression to be remembered and stick with the readers, which helps nail the authorial objective into their heads.

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Clare Booth Luce sets up a tone of duty by saying, “But you are an audience of journalists. There is no audience anywhere who should be more bored -- indeed, more revolted -- by a speaker who tried to… play down its faults, and who would more quickly see through any attempt to do so” (18-23). By establishing that she has no choice but to criticize the flaws of journalists due to their virtue of truth-seeking, Luce places a sense of responsibility onto journalists as a whole and repudiates any responsibility on her part since the situation gives her no choice but to criticize the American press. Not to do so would go against the very ideals that make her a journalist.

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Metaphors are used to compare two seemingly unalike things to represent a larger idea, which in this case is to highlight the oppressive situation of the narrator. In the Yellow Wall-Paper, the wallpaper in the room that Jane is staying in represents herself. When she first enters the room, she says that the wallpaper " is repellent, almost revolting" similar to how she saw herself in the beginning, as she admits that " John does not know how much I really suffer". Oppressed by her husband, yet with a yearning to get better since she truly believes there is something wrong with her, parallel to how she views the wallpaper. As the story progresses, she notices " the woman behind [that] shakes it". She describes the woman in the wallpaper as " taking hold of the bars" that restrain her, implying that the woman in the wallpaper is a metaphor for herself, as she is oppressed by her boyfriends and behind the bars of his authority. Later when she tears the wallpaper apart, she breaks free of her oppression, again emphasizing how she sees herself as the wallpaper, something that she once hated so much that she now identifies with so strongly.
- Ritika

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Sylvia Plath uses tulips as a symbol for her connection to the living world, and uses them to express her mixed emotions about being trapped in a mortal coil, stuck in the “ocean” between life and death. Physically, the "redness" of tulips is similar to blood. It sharply contrasts the "whiteness" of the hospital, which represents death. Therefore, the physical quality of tulips implies that it is a symbol for the living world to Plath. Additionally, Plath describes them as “a dozen red lead sinkers round my neck." This adds a layer of meaning to tulips as it implies that not only are they a representation of the living world, they also serve to chain her to it, as expressed through the reference to sinkers. In the later parts of the poem, however, Plath's stance on tulips and the living world change.  In the last paragraph Plath also describes a feeling of “sheer love” from the presence of the tulips, which demonstrates that she has some emotions regarding the the living world. Although she feels that the living world is cold and unkind, there are still slivers of warmth seeping through, as symbolized by the tulips. To Plath, tulips serve both as stubborn hooks to her skin, but also as a glimmer of hope, as a ray of sunshine that peaks into her otherwise dark world.  - Timothy

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God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass

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God Will Give You Blood to Drink in a Souvenir Shot Glass

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Oscar - Sarah Vowell uses humor to transition into her conclusion that one should appreciate the suffering and hardships that allow us to enjoy luxuries through humor. Before her conclusion, she mentions her explains her motto "it could be worse," be describing a variety of horrors that occurred in the past and commedically contrasting them with her comparatively insignificant but relevant problems. The humor in this brings relatability, but also helps us realize just how well we have it, and that we should appreciate our history.

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Pleasant and nurturing diction in "A Small Needful Fact" (HeeJee Yoon) 

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Pleasant and nurturing diction in "A Small Needful Fact" (HeeJee Yoon) 

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In his poem on the unjust death of Eric Garner, Gay uses pleasant diction to paint Garner’s life as meaningful and purposeful. Garner is described with words such as “gently,” (line 6) and his job is described with nurturing diction like “grow,” (line 9) “pleasant,” (line 12)  “feed,” (line 11) and “sunlight” (line 13). These words prompt reader to connect these words of peace and nature with Garner's identity, which opposes the words that media may have used to criminalize him and justify his death. He portrays Garner as a necessary contributor of society who, in his own way, helped his community grow; it prompts the audience to view him as a creator rather than a destroyer. In doing so, he illustrates Garner's life, a single "normal" life, as one filled with meaning and purpose.

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In "A Small Needful Fact", Gay writes "he put gently into the earth
some plants which, most likely,
some of them, in all likelihood,
continue to grow, continue
to do what such plants do, like house
and feed small and necessary creatures,
like being pleasant to touch and smell,
like converting sunlight
into food, like making it easier
for us to breathe." (Gay 6). In this quote, Gay used the word "gently", the word "earth", the word "small", the word "pleasant", and the word "easier". His use of words such as these influences a gentle and peaceful tone. Gay uses this tone to persuade us that Eric Garner was a likable man who didn't deserve to be killed. The gentleness and peacefulness of the tone give us the impression that Garner was gentle, peaceful, and kind as well.
A. Guo

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Oscar

Edmund uses metaphors to express how he feels much more in tune with nature when he doesn't have to deal with the burdens of being human (having just contracted TB). "As it is I will always be a stranger who never feels at home." The metaphor of a stranger who never feels at home represents Edmund, who describes how he feels most at peace when he is free from the other natures of man such as greed, hopes, and dreams. His metaphor of being a stranger never at home is meant to describe how he feels strange being a man, wishing he was born something else so that he isn't burdened by the mind and desires and could instead just let go and be one with nature.

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In the wake of upheaval about racism and injustice, many people are writing as a tool to express their feelings. As a man named Eric Garner died in 2014, Ross Gay published a poem regarding his death in 2015. A strategy Gay uses to express and ironic simplicity in his poem is repetition. “perhaps, that with his very large hands, perhaps, in all likelihood, he put gently into the earth some plants which, most likely, some of them, in all likelihood,” (4-8). The “Small Needful Fact” being pointed out that Eric’s contribution to society was ultimately (yet indirectly) stolen from him. With that being said, Gay’s objective was fully delivered.

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In Autobiographical Notes from Notes of a Native Son, the narrator uses historical allusion repeatedly. Historical allusion is reference to a historical event or period. He constantly talks about his struggles of being an African American writer in the United States by referring back to a time in American history when slavery was extremely common. He states, “I don’t think that the Negro problem in America can be even discussed coherently without bearing in mind its context; its context being the history, traditions, customs, the moral assumptions and preoccupations of the country; in short, the general social fabric” (page 8). He says this, addressing his struggles becoming a successful writer while bringing up the history and context of the situation. He claims great writers use experience in their work. He states “It is not only written about so widely; it is written about so badly” (page 6) referring to pieces on the “Negro problem.” He later alludes to the Odyssey to criticize a piece from the text.
-Jaclyn LaHa

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"Notes of a Native Son" Tone and Diction - Taylor Faitel

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"Notes of a Native Son" Tone and Diction - Taylor Faitel

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In the "Notes of a Native Son," the conflicted tone was created by the diction that blantanly said that this speaker was struggling with finding a 2 dimensional defnition of himself and not feeling stronlgy about the two groups of people he was categorid as. " I has aways hidden from myself, which the Amercian Negro has had to hide from himslef as the price of his public progress; that I has hated and feared white people. This did not mean that I loved black people; on the contrary I despised them, possibly because they failed to produce Rembrandt." This explicitly says that I feel i need to pick a side but he feels that he does not fit in eitheir and as a citizen of american and being black he was part of a small minority which forced the social pressure of having to be an american or be black.

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In the autobiographical notes, James Baldwin uses humor to be relatable and to drive his casual tone. When he recalls his childhood, he remembers, "The Children probably suffered, though they have since been so kind to deny it..."(3). This use of humor helps establish his ethos as a thoughtful and witty person. This prepares the audience to accept his perspective -Sebastian

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Sylvia Path uses bright red tulips as a symbol to describe her problems and the reality that brings her back to her senses. The speaker is trapped in white peaceful hospital, “ lying [herself] quietly.” The tulips gradually get more and more irritating as the story goes on; when she originally introduces them, she states they are a minor inconvenience but as time goes on the speaker describes how irritating the tulips become. The tulips symbolize the speaker’s life problems because she states how, “the vivid tulips eat my oxygen” (Path 7). The tulips are taking away her peaceful state of mind and are reminding her of all the problems you'll have to face after the stay at the hospital is over. The tulips also symbolize her family that prevents her from entering ignorant bliss, she says, “...like an awful baby… they weigh me down” (Path 6). This is referring to her earthly attachments holding her down like her smiling husband and child. Plath describes how the tulips hold her back referring to the problems that hold her back from entering a numb state of ignorance bliss, like her smiling family waiting on her. - Sid