"Outlaw" by Antonia Vargas

Jose Antonio Vargas writes about his struggle to obtain legal citizenship in the United States after living on the West Coast since he was sent to live with his grandparent when he was twelve. Vargas was smuggled into the states, oblivious to his alien status. He only realized the seriousness of his predicament after a DMV worker deemed his green card invalid and turned him away from getting his permit. Vargas was sixteen. He has worked extremely hard and graduated from high school and college. He discovered his passion for journalism and obtained an internship at the local newspaper during high school, Vargas later went on to write for the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Washington Post. However, he has had to pass up several amazing positions at world-renowned newspapers because they require valid paperwork, which Vargas does not have. The context of this essay shows how hard it is to be an alien in the United States. Even though it was not Vargas' choice to (illegally) immigrate to the United States when he is a child, he has to deal with the missed opportunities and disadvantages of being an illegal immigrant. The author's purpose is to inform his audience that illegal immigrants are contributing members of society that need a pathway to proper citizenship. The audience is written for illegal immigrants, or those who wish to help illegal immigrants. Vargas uses Ethos to show his morality is the reason why he has chosen to tell his story in order to achieve his purpose. "So I've decided to come forward, own up to what I've done and tell my story to the best of my recollection... I am working with legal counsel to review my options. I don't know what the consequences will be of telling my story" (Vargas 272). He shows his selflessness though admitting his uncertainty in his future. Therefore, Vargas is achieving his purpose by putting all of his contributions to society in jeopardy in order to create a pathway for legal citizenship.

Contributing Members: The cartoon shows that illegal immigrants contribute to society daily and are knowingly and unknowingly being employed by the government.
Picture Source: http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2010/05/political-cartoons-of-the-week-arizona-cracks-down-on-illegal-immigration/

"Killing My Body to Save My Mind" By Lauren Slater

Lauren Slater recalls her battle in the decision to take anti-depressants that cause weight gain versus a horrific depression in, "Killing My Body to Save My Mind." The conflict between being physically healthy or mentally healthy is the main focus of this essay. The context of this essay is a middle-aged woman examining the life choice she has made to take Zyprexa, a powerful anti-depressant, that causes the patient to gain an excessive amount of weight, in return for mental stability. Slater's purpose is to inform her audience that a person's mental health is the most important aspect of his/her's life. The audience for whom the essay was written for is or people who have life-threatening health issues, or those close with these people. Slater uses Pathos, or appeal to emotion, to connect with her audience and achieve her purpose through showing the reader what it is like to be in her situation. "Zyprexa, or the experience of taking Zyprexa, moves one out of the twenty-first century and back to the age of reason. It makes clear to the patient taking it that she must choose between her mind and her flesh" (Slater 260). She shows that any person could at some point have to make the decision to take Zyprexa, and that Zyprexa will ruin a the patient's body. However, she goes on to say that that is the answer: mind over body. Hence, achieving her purpose. An allusion is used to draw reference to the 17th century philosopher, Descartes' theory of dualism: the separate realms of the mind and body. She uses this as a metaphor to achieve her purpose by showing that Descartes theorized that the body is a "delusion created by an evil spirit." Therefore, the body succumbs to the mind, achieving Slater's purpose that mental health is the most important aspect of a person's life.

Mind Over Matter: In a more extreme version of Slater's story, Hawking is without many of the basic skills Slater has, yet still is one of the smartest people in the world. Unlike Slater, he does not have the choice between mind or body. 

Source: http://www.hawking.org.uk/about-stephen.html

"Objects of Affection" by Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough

In the essay Objects of Affection, Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough writes about the importance to not undermine the sentimental value that certain objects carry. The author grew up in Krakow, Poland, during a communist era. Toys, books, and clothes were scarce. This lead Hryniewicz-Yarbrough to develop a sincere affection for her single doll. She was extremely possessive of her books, as good books were a rarity in Marxist Poland. Ewa Hryniewicz-Yarbrough moved to the United States as a young adult and was immediately stunned by the surplus of food and other necessities. She soon discovered her reluctance to part with objects that could even possibly be fixed, and that this trait had been derived from her grandmother. The context of the essay is to compare how people in two very different cultures, communist Poland and the United States, have completely different attitudes surrounding the sentimental value of objects. The author's purpose is to inform audiences to keep and or create objects of sentimental value so future generations are able to connect to the past through an object. This essay was written for audiences whom feel connected to the past through objects. Pathos is used to appeal to the emotions of readers of all ages that objects are important. "They hadn't yet learned that objects help us exorcise some of our fears, that they are stronger than we are, perfect and independent, that they give us a semblance of permanence and grant a stay against chaos, darkness, and oblivion" (Hryniewicz-Yarbrough 175). The author explains that objects that may seem worthless to one person, represent the entire world to another. This allows audiences to connect this back to their life and receive the author's purpose that it is important to have objects of sentimental value. Hryniewicz-Yarbrough also uses foil to contrast the differences between herself and her grandmother. Her grandmother kept no objects of sentimental value and was quite content with this. The authors contrasts her grandmother greatly when the grandmother dies and she is given a paperweight as something to remember her grandmother die. This completely achieves the the author's purpose by showing the need to have objects with sentimental value for future generations.

Generations: A family heirloom has the ability to connect one generation to the next.

Picture Source: http://childrenscarseatshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/wrinkled-old-hand-holding-baby-hand-400px.jpg

"The Good Short Life" by Dudley Clendinen

In "The Good Short Life", Dudley Clendinen reflects on his life while having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Clendinen reveals that he will end his own life rather than have his family and friends watch him die a slow, painful death. His experience as a recovering alcoholic has lead him to be an extremely resilient person. Clendinen had watched his mother pass away from a terminal illness. She was unable to bathe herself, change herself, or even go to the bathroom. This is what guided Clendinen to the conclusion that he would be the one to decide when his life would end. His daughter, Whitney, would only remember her father the way he wanted to be remembered; not slowly becoming a vegetable. The context of this essay is to explain to his audience why he chose to not seek the most advanced medical treatments, be hooked up to machines until he died, but rather die with grace. Clendinen's purpose is to inform readers as to the reason of his decision to only live while he is vital and content. The audience for whom the essay was written is people that are facing death, rather it be themselves or a loved one, the essay aims to reach those that need comfort and logic surrounding death. Clendinen does just that by explaining to lead a happy life until the day he can not. The author's most outstanding rhetorical device is diction. His diction is not ominous, but rather reassuring and at-peace. This allowed him to successfully convey his purpose because he showed that his unfortunate fate will not negatively affect his present. Pathos, appeal to emotion, is used to connect with the audience when Clendinen writes about everyday activities that he loves, which one day, he will no longer be able to do: walk the dog, talk with his daughter, and tell a funny story. "I have found the way. Not a gun. A way that's quiet and calm. Knowing that comforts me" (Clendinen 66). He clearly states that he is absolutely comfortable ending his life. By doing that, he has achieved his purpose of informing his audience that he is content in dying.

Vitality: Dudley Clendinen made the decision to live until he could not do the things he loved anymore. He did not want to be a vegetable in a hospital bed until he died. 

Source: http://arizonastatehospitalabuse.blogspot.com/2012/06/illicit-tobacco-sales-and-use-staff-at.html

"You Owe Me" by Miah Arnold

          Miah Arnold highlights the most significant moments in her career while working with child cancer patients in "You Owe Me", published in the Michigan Quarterly Review.  Arnold, who has worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas for over a decade, reflects on the traumatizing, yet deeply rewarding experience she has had teaching a writing class to a rotating cycle of child cancer patients, many of which succumb to to their disease. The context of this essay is a memoir about Arnold's time in the classroom and the emotional maturity she has acquired from this harsh setting. Miah Arnold's purpose in writing this essay is inform the audience of the short, incredible lives these children have lead and their ability to touch other's lives. Arnold's purpose is to share the joy and lessons of the frugalness of life, that the children have given her, with the world. The audience for whom the essay is written is vast. She aims to reach those who have taken life for granted. The rhetorical devices used in this essay are plentiful. The most frequent however, is the anecdote. Through the essay, she writes brief stories of the children that have most impacted her life. Pathos, or emotional appeal, is used all throughout the essay in order for Arnold to connect to her audience; "If you were a teacher, and you loved a boy who died, you might quit because you always knew you couldn't keep going after the death" (Arnold 34). The author strategically puts the reader in her place, to show the hardships that she has been through and the strength she must have to go back to work everyday. By allowing the reader to step into her shoes and absorb what she does everyday, proves the author has accomplished her purpose. She has successfully informed her audience of the near-magical lives of the children she has taught through pathos and strong anecdotes.

The Happy Life: The children Arnold worked with did not let their cancer slow them down. 

Picture Source:http://rakstagemom.wordpress.com/tag/pediatric-cancer/