Shanteria, Genesis, Mahari, Nasiir

Dr. Greene

English 1101

28 September  2017


RRR " Dad, Little that We Knew"

                                           

Mary Agrusa wrote the personal nonfiction narrative essay, "We Didn’t Know”,(Oct. 7, 2016) to explain that her ignorance towards the war became enlightenment once her father shared his war experience. She explains this experience by taking us back in the past when he was alive and spoke to her about the war. She uses personal experiences and flashbacks in order to deepen the text, so that her audience could be able to either relate or gain knowledge to this experience. Agrusa's intended audience was those who might have had a parent who was involved in war or to those who might not have experienced this and wants them to know.

This essay gave me a better understanding towards mourning over a deceased love one in selective service, since I have yet to have a family member involved with the military. I could relate to young Agrusa’s bewilderment and ridicule when learning “Flanders Field”, because I felt her comprehension suffered due to the lack of experience from a soldier's point of view . It does not only takes an opened mind but also a person equipped with the experience to elaborate on the matter.

Through flashbacks and personal experiences, Agrusa shared with us her struggles and thoughts about her father involvement in the services. Things she did know and things that she didn't was shared in the narrative. In repeated motifs, the authors uses flashbacks to where her dad was alive to show her confusion and her personal thoughts about war then. She also continues to say the phrase " We didn't know", to represent the idea of the text.

 She tends to include questions throughout the text, where she . She would ask, " Why were these so important to him? (124). Things she did know and things that she didn't was shared in the narrative. She would say , " Why there, I don't know." (125). Then later she would say," And now we knew". ( 126). This right here is part of her purpose and style. She would use this as a way to get her audience involved in her confusion but then she sorts it out with the truth. She ended her personal narrative with stating, " There is much we don't know but some things are clearly defined. He loved god, his family and his country." (127). Here this concludes the idea that although she didn't know much about her fathers wartime, she knows her father.

Works Cited

Mary,Agrusa. "We didn't know." Connections: Guide to First Year Writing @ Clayton State University.  Ed. Mary Lamb. 6th Edition. South Lake: 2016. 115-117 print

Ohuoba's Perception

Shanteria, Genesis, Nasiir, Mahari
Dr.Greene
English 1101
20 September 2017
RRR

"Views of Africa"

In this personal essay, "The perception of Africa " (2016), Chinyere Ohuoba describes the negative stereotypes given to her because of her nationality, African, along with discussing the negativity that flows from others about Africa. Ohuoba develops her thesis by using an example of a child who also had some of the same experiences uses that as a connection and actually facts for support. Ohuoba purpose was to inform the audience that she is proud of her culture and Africa is not what the media portrays it to be, in order to address the fact that media controls the way we view Africa. The author's intended audience was for those who lack the knowledge of Africa, she establishes a subtle yet informative type of knowledge with audience. This story was quite interesting. I really enjoyed reading her personal thoughts. I personally haven't been Africa, so media is like my source of information, but until I actually view Africa myself. This essay was very informative. It was very truthful and organized in a way that it flowed through gracefully. In the story,”The Perception of Africa, Ohuoba starts off by telling a story about a girl, Chioma, of Nigerian descent. The girl native culture ridiculed by her classmates. This causes Chioma to feel insecure about her origin. Ohuoba feels the same way by stating: “At one point of my life, I too felt ashamed of my cultural background...which lead to prejudice treatment.” (Ohuoba P.170) In addition, Ohuoba focuses on the central idea of the story about how the stereotypes causes misinterpretation towards the true identity of Africa, and how social media plays a key role in the misinterpretation. She uses multiple sources to back up her ideas. It’s clear that Ohuoba feels strong about how the 54 countries of this continent is being portrayed as inferior and a”dark continent” (Ohuoba P.173).  she states “I have became cognizant of how Africa was widely portrayed...I realized...the articles specifically referring to encourages the misconception of the image of Africa.” (Ohuoba P.171) Furthermore, the stereotypical image of Africa perceived by Ohuoba was even proven false when she talks about what she experienced on her visit to her native country, Nigeria. “I was Surprised to see that the village was better than many neighborhoods in America...I felt ashamed for believing the stereotypes that were represented through the media.” (Ohuoba P.172-173) Works Cited: Ohuoba, Chinyere. "The Perception of Africa"  (2016). Connections: Guide to First Year Writing at Clayton State University. Ed Mary Lamb. Sixth Edition Southlake Tx, Fountainhead Press

 

In this personal essay, "The perception of Africa " (2016), Chinyere Ohuoba describes the negative stereotypes given to her because of her nationality, African, along with discussing the negativity that flows from others about Africa. Ohuoba develops her thesis by using an example of a child who also had some of the same experiences uses that as a connection and actually facts for support. Ohuoba purpose was to inform the audience that she is proud of her culture and Africa is not what the media portrays it to be, in order to address the fact that media controls the way we view Africa. The author's intended audience was for those who lack the knowledge of Africa, she establishes a subtle yet informative type of knowledge with audience. This story was quite interesting. I really enjoyed reading her personal thoughts. I personally haven't been Africa, so media is like my source of information, but until I actually view Africa myself. This essay was very informative. It was very truthful and organized in a way that it flowed through gracefully. In the story,”The Perception of Africa, Ohuoba starts off by telling a story about a girl, Chioma, of Nigerian descent. The girl native culture ridiculed by her classmates. This causes Chioma to feel insecure about her origin. Ohuoba feels the same way by stating: “At one point of my life, I too felt ashamed of my cultural background...which lead to prejudice treatment.” (Ohuoba P.170) In addition, Ohuoba focuses on the central idea of the story about how the stereotypes causes misinterpretation towards the true identity of Africa, and how social media plays a key role in the misinterpretation. She uses multiple sources to back up her ideas. It’s clear that Ohuoba feels strong about how the 54 countries of this continent is being portrayed as inferior and a”dark continent” (Ohuoba P.173).  she states “I have became cognizant of how Africa was widely portrayed...I realized...the articles specifically referring to encourages the misconception of the image of Africa.” (Ohuoba P.171) Furthermore, the stereotypical image of Africa perceived by Ohuoba was even proven false when she talks about what she experienced on her visit to her native country, Nigeria. “I was Surprised to see that the village was better than many neighborhoods in America...I felt ashamed for believing the stereotypes that were represented through the media.” (Ohuoba P.172-173) Works Cited: Ohuoba, Chinyere. "The Perception of Africa"  (2016). Connections: Guide to First Year Writing at Clayton State University. Ed Mary Lamb. Sixth Edition Southlake Tx, Fountainhead Press

 

In this personal essay, "The perception of Africa " (2016), Chinyere Ohuoba describes the negative stereotypes given to her because of her nationality, African, along with discussing the negativity that flows from others about Africa. Ohuoba develops her thesis by using an example of a child who also had some of the same experiences uses that as a connection and actually facts for support. Ohuoba purpose was to inform the audience that she is proud of her culture and Africa is not what the media portrays it to be, in order to address the fact that media controls the way we view Africa. The author's intended audience was for those who lack the knowledge of Africa, she establishes a subtle yet informative type of knowledge with audience.

This story was quite interesting. I really enjoyed reading her personal thoughts. I personally haven't been Africa, so media is like my source of information, but until I actually view Africa myself. This essay was very informative. It was very truthful and organized in a way that it flowed through gracefully.

In the story,”The Perception of Africa, Ohuoba starts off by telling a story about a girl, Chioma, of Nigerian descent. The girl native culture ridiculed by her classmates. This causes Chioma to feel insecure about her origin. Ohuoba feels the same way by stating: “At one point of my life, I too felt ashamed of my cultural background...which lead to prejudice treatment.” (Ohuoba P.170) In addition, Ohuoba focuses on the central idea of the story about how the stereotypes causes misinterpretation towards the true identity of Africa, and how social media plays a key role in the misinterpretation. She uses multiple sources to back up her ideas. It’s clear that Ohuoba feels strong about how the 54 countries of this continent is being portrayed as inferior and a”dark continent” (Ohuoba P.173).  she states “I have became cognizant of how Africa was widely portrayed...I realized...the articles specifically referring to encourages the misconception of the image of Africa.” (Ohuoba P.171) Furthermore, the stereotypical image of Africa perceived by Ohuoba was even proven false when she talks about what she experienced on her visit to her native country, Nigeria. “I was Surprised to see that the village was better than many neighborhoods in America...I felt ashamed for believing the stereotypes that were represented through the media.”

(Ohuoba P.172-173)

Works Cited:

Ohuoba, Chinyere. "The Perception of Africa"  (2016). Connections: Guide to First Year Writing at Clayton State University. Ed Mary Lamb. Sixth Edition Southlake Tx, Fountainhead Press

 

                                                                  

Shanteria, Nasiir, Mahari, Genesis
Dr. Greene
English 1101
18 September 2017

                                                              "FEAR" Rhetorical Analysis

In this personal memoir, "Context" (1994), Dorothy Allison describes her fear she has of what her lover will think when she will show her to her family and where she's from. Allison explains this fear by using imagery, along with comparisons to express her views about judging a person. Allison uses imagery and comparison in order to visually deliver the message, that context is small yet so vital especially when it comes to a perspective about a person or their social background. Allison's wrote her memoir to an audience who might not fully understand the word context, so she shares with us her personal experience and views about context and background.


This story made me feel nostalgic. I remembered a time when I first met my significant others family members their customs were far from different from my own family. The interaction gave me clarity on who I was dating and her background. With that being said the experience helped me relate to Allison's memoir quite well. I agreed with the feeling of anticipation when her lover was going to meet her family. 


The word context, according to dictionary.com, could be defined as " the parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect". Through flashbacks and comparison, Allison shows us her fear of judgment from her lover to support the idea that context can cause people to think differently of another and make wrong assumptions which is why it’s so vital. Like in the text when her lover said, " I thought I knew what it would be like- your family, Greenville”. (Allison 115).  Here the interpretation is that the lover thought her family would be like Allison but they’re not. Another example of that would be when the lover says," I thought I understood what you meant when you said working class' but I just didn't have a context”. (Allison 115). The lover thought of this was a little different which is why she stated she didn't have a context. Allison experience not only helped her, but it encourages her to write and share with others who might not know what context is and how it plays a role in an individual. That's why she states,” context is so little to share and so vital”. ( Allison 117).

 Works Cited  

                              Allison, Dorothy. "Context." Connections: Guide to First Year Writing at Clayton State University. Ed. Mary Lamb 4th Edition South Lake 2014