Photo obtained from http://opinion9.com/why-i-blog/ Banksy’s Caveman - Photo obtained from primalhealthcoach.com The Shining by Stephen King- Photo obtained from http://thenovelapproachreviews.com Health - image obtained from http://www.studying-in-us.org Pie 'N Burger - Image obtained from http://foodgps.com | Purpose Prior to creating my first blog, I had a countless amount of questions. What should I write about? What literary techniques and rhetorical devices should I include? Who is my target audience? In order to answer these questions, and help gain better insight on how to create an engaging and informative blog, I performed some research. Below, are my analytical reviews of 5 blogs located from around the web. Why I Blog by Andrew Sullivan The first blog that I reviewed was “Why I Blog” by Andrew Sullivan, a writer for The Atlantic. Sullivan uses an informative style to provide the reader with background history on the creation of a “blog.” Sullivan does a good job of drawing in the reader by maintaining a constant flow of pertinent information. The author effectively draws and maintains interest effectively by portraying “blogs” as cutting edge, and the future of creative journalism. Sullivan describes blogging as the “spontaneous expression of instant thought,” and expresses that blogging is free of editorial restraints seen in mass media, thus making the “blog” a pure form of expressing desired content. The use of antithesis as a rhetorical device is present as the author connects the concept of blogging with the original form of “log keeping,” seen in shipping vessels. This information is relevant to my situation due to the fact that I am inexperienced in the “art of the blog,” and that Sullivan provided relevant, insightful information on how to create a proper blog. I found this to be a structured, sound piece of writing. The author started strong, kept the reader interested with relevant content, and finished strong. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/why-i-blog/307060/ How To Use Primal Movement To Rebel Against Captivity by Jonathan Mead In “How to Use Primal Movement to Rebel against Captivity,” Mead emphasizes the fact that today’s society has become physically stagnant, and lacks the adequate amount of daily movement. The author points out that the human body is capable of amazing things but the average person fails to encroach anywhere near the threshold of its true potential. Mead attributes this decrease in physicality to three time periods/advancements that occurred in mankind’s recent history. First, Mead presents the agricultural revolution: outsourcing of production to farmers that led to the division of labor. Second, Mead mentions the industrial revolution and how the invention of highly productive machinery took/takes on the bulk of our workload, leading to less physical output. Lastly, Mead lays down the nail in the coffin, the technological revolution. Everything one can desire is merely a click away, and our technological dependency has buried our sense of physicality. The author goes on to provide multiple solutions and preventative measures to becoming stagnant and “motionless.” I agree with Mead’s views that society today has become dependent on technology, leading to a huge decrease in physical activity. When I was a child, exploring the vast realm of adolescence, my primary source of entertainment involved being outdoors (with the exception of Legos!). Today’s generation of children are virtually born cell phone in hand, later refusing to experience anything outdoors if it means being drawn away from the piece of technology right in front of them. Aside from agreeing with the author’s viewpoints and solutions, I enjoyed his writing style and felt that he produced an appealing piece of literature. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/ 5 Writing Tips From Stephen King by Alex Strike The third blog that I read was “5 Writing Tips From Stephen King” by Alex Strike, a blogger for writing-help.com. When I outgrew Goosebumps in my early childhood, I stumbled upon King’s work and was immediately hooked. Books such as The Shining, The Green Mile, It, Graveyard Shift, to name a few, enhanced my desire to expand my realm of thought to a higher level when it came to reading books. I was intrigued by the paranormal and science fiction aspect of the literary world, and still am to this day. I attribute much of this to King, which is why I selected this piece by Alex Strike. This piece is short and sweet. Strike reveals 5 writing tips straight from King’s autobiography on successful writing. The tips are as follows: “do not waste your time on nonsense,” “be persistent,” “do not take critics too seriously,” “maintain and develop your form,” and “think of who you write for.” Whether or not I intend to pursue (on a more in depth level) writing past the English 1A class I am currently writing this blog for, these tips from King serve as motivation and can be used to help steer me in the wright direction when righting. Oops. This blog by Strike was short and to the point. The only rhetorical device present was enumeration, in this case, used to organizationally separate King’s tips into numerical points. I enjoyed this article, and though these tips seem a bit cliché, seeing them quoted from King himself made it worth a view and a review. 5 Ways To Become An Expert In Your Health (No MD Required) by Elana Miller MD The fourth blog I chose to review is “5 Ways to Become An Expert In Your Health (No MD Required,” by Elana Miller, who wrote this during her 3rd year of residency. Miller breaks down 5 important steps that should be taken to improve one’s health. The list set forth by Miller includes: “keep track of your medical record,” “keep your doctor informed,” “eliminate health destroyers under your control,” “educate yourself,” “your doctor is the expert in medicine, YOU are the expert on YOU.” This blog provides insightful, and must-do, steps that will lead a patient to a more efficient interaction with his or her personal doctor and overall better health. I am drawn to this article based on two things: Miller’s credibility, and my profession as an EMT. I have been a first-responder for over 5 years and experience people at their worst. Though these tips from Miller may seem overused or exhausted from countless sources of media, they are all true and should be taken seriously. The only rhetorical device clearly present in Miller’s blog was once again, enumeration. I found this article to contain solid information, and despite hearing this advice daily, you can’t beat a dead horse enough times when it comes to health and well-being. http://expertenough.com/2982/health-expert Pie 'n Burger: The classics series by Pat Saperstein The blog “Pie ‘n Burger: The Classics Series” by Saperstein used descriptive writing as well as anecdotal influences to paint a picture of Pie n’ Burger of Pasadena, an LA staple less than a block from my residence. In addition to describing the amazing burgers, Saperstein used the word “dreary,” and the phrase “a few tables of earnest looking folk” to help paint the reader a picture of what to expect. Even though Saperstein and myself have conflicting opinions on Pie ‘n Burger’s fries, I enjoyed her illustrious writing style, and would be enticed to visit this location as a potential source for dinner if I had never been there. http://eatingla.blogspot.com/2008/11/pie-n-burger-classics-series.html |
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John Ilsley
Pasadena City College student. Archives
December 2015
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