My Writing Compendium

Proposition of Policy, Reduced Drinking Age

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 15:01:00 -0500

Proposition of Policy:

Congress should implement a policy that amends the MLDA 21, lowering the drinking age to 18.

Senator Sherrod Brown

Parker Catalano

pcatalan@umail.iu.edu

CMCL-C228 16668, Argumentation and Public Advocacy

Professor Brian Scott Amsden

November 29, 2012

“I’ll be fine mum… just trust me xxx”: the words that will tear at a mother’s heart for the rest of her life, the last words of her son. Private Anthony Frampton, 20, emailed this last reassurance three weeks before he ran over an Afghan roadside explosive, leaving his armored vehicle a mangled mass of metal and gore. This warrantless attack took the lives of five boys that day, boys who left behind mothers, fathers, and siblings – one soldier left behind a son that he never even met. In society today, we feel a warped sense of justification in sending these “boys” into war, kids who don’t legally even have the right to drink. In case you were wondering, these aforementioned “boys” were all under the age of 21. They died in a roaring explosion of flame and shrapnel, burning inside what was essentially an oven. How are we expected to tell our soldiers – those who live and die in an extended Hell on earth – to fight for our country, to die for false freedoms? The Executive branch defines us as legal adults by the age of 18. We gain the right to vote, we can smoke cigarettes, serve on juries, be prosecuted as adults, and even get married and sign legal contracts – but we cannot drink, possess, or purchase liquor. This preposterous misnomer in the riddled text of law is one wholly deserving of amendment, an arbitrarily designed law that encumbers true liberty. Therefore, it is in my belief that Congress should amend the Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21 (MLDA 21) policy, reforming it to reflect the ideologies that the government has placed on its citizens – if you are legally an adult, then you should be allowed to drink; since the legal age of adulthood is 18, so should be the MLDA.

In modern America, we affectionately boast our wealth, our security, and the safety of our homeland. Over the years, the States have metaphorically transformed into a mixing pot of ethnicities and opportunities, we are the celebrities that walk the shining red carpet of prosperity. Under our glistening red rug lies a very dirty stain however, a stain that blots out the illusionary abyss of endless freedoms that await upon our 18^th birthday. We are robbed of a right whose legality has subsequently led to increased underage drinking arrests, an utter lack of alcohol awareness, and environments in which consumption isn’t supervised – potentially leading to increased likelihoods of binge drinking and other unsafe behavior.

Congress reasons that the intention of MLDA 21 is to “lower alcohol use and its associated problems among youth.” Although this may be an honest, whole-hearted attempt to curve drinking fatalities, the fact that underage consumption occurs will – in all likelihood – never change. A collaborative, data-driven study comparing the before and after effects of MLDA 21 on traffic safety, produced by Notre Dame and Stanford Professors William N. Evans and Thomas S. Dee, respectively, stated that higher traffic accidents and fatalities occur in the first few years of legal drinking, regardless of age. Furthermore, according to FBI arrest records in 2009, the age group of 21-23 year-olds represented 152,777 DUI arrests in comparison to 88,809 DUI arrests in the 18-20 age group.

These numbers don’t seem to match up. With the proposition that MLDA 21 is supposed to lower alcohol use, then why is it on the rise? In my opinion, it is very clear that Congress is failing to reach its expectations and must conform to the status quo: alcohol, as long as it is still being produced, will almost certainly be incorporated in the culture of our social era. The ineffectiveness of MLDA 21 in preventing the sale of alcohol to minors (those under the age of 21) is shown in a study produced by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. The NCASA found that underage drinking accounts for 17.5% of consumer spending in the United States – this equates to roughly $22.5 billion! Clearly the ability to properly regulate such a preposterous age limit proves too big a task to waste precious time and money on. In fact, a press release from a study done at Columbia University found that 49% (3.8 million) of full-time college students binge drink and/or abuse illegal narcotics. In 2000, the United States General Accounting Office reported $71.1 million appropriated just to combat underage drinking. Our programs are so inefficient at controlling the mass population of minors aged 18 to 20 that this $71.1 million spent was essentially sucked up into a symbolic vacuum – never to be seen again and yet providing no effective change. If we were to lower the MLDA 21 to 18, then this unnecessary spending could be used in more productive means, say funding public works projects per se.

Once again, it is my belief that MLDA 21 should be reduced to 18, if not for the money, if not for the arrests, but for the social environment. MLDA 21 effectively negates any safe drinking atmosphere that minors may be in. College students must resort to parties, dorms, and fraternities to drink. So what happens when someone has a little too much? People go missing all of the time, in environments where intoxicated minors congregate, who is to say that it is impossible for someone to go overlooked? Furthermore, college drinking is inevitable. Students go to parties to drink, meet people, and have a good time. If the MLDA 21 were to be dropped to 18, we would be able to more effectively monitor this drinking, to curve binging and teach alcohol awareness. Parents could go to bed at night not worrying whether or not they’ll see their son or daughter on the morning news, universities won’t be worrying about lawsuits and kicking fraternities off-campus, and students would drop their concerns of possibly getting arrested on their walk home. One might ask, if we drop the drinking age to 18, then what do we do about all of the laws and policies regarding underage drinking as of right now? Simple, the laws would be amended to punish only those under the age of 18 (i.e. high school students and younger) for consumption. An argument may be made disputing that doing so would drop money collected from court fees significantly; this aspect is counterbalanced by the overwhelming majority of young people who would then legally be allowed to purchase such liquors.

If this is not enough for you, a look into France’s drinking and driving-related fatalities will. France, renowned for its love of liquor and wine, has had an MLDA of 18 since 2006. According to a report furnished in 2007 on the DUI laws in France, 1,241 people died as a result of alcohol-related traffic collisions. When taking into account that France has a population of roughly 65 million people, this accounts for about .00192% of deaths. Comparatively, the United States – with a drinking age of 21 since 1984 – boasts 10,839 alcohol-related fatalities (according to a report published by Alcohol Alert!). Although the United States has a population of roughly 305 million people, this number accounts for .00377% of our total deaths – double the amount of deaths as the lower MLDA placed in France. If this doesn’t blow your mind, than the United Kingdom’s record will. In a report published by the Office for National Statistics on alcohol-related deaths in the UK, data showed that in 2010 only 400 traffic-related deaths could be associated with alcohol. With a population of roughly 62 million people and a legal drinking age of 18, this equates to roughly .0006385% of all deaths.

How can these countries with such low legal drinking ages maintain far safer roads and produce such a low number of alcohol-related deaths? Simple, alcohol awareness. When young people, and by “young people” I mean those under 21 years-of-age, are introduced to alcohol by parents, legal guardians, and older peers in controlled environments, they gain a better understanding on how much to drink, when to drink, and acceptable etiquette when drinking with friends. In the UK, it is legal for 16 to 17 year-olds to purchase alcohol at licensed premises when accompanied by a meal. Why? Good question, it is because there is a belief (as the above data supports) that alcohol, when introduced in a secure environment with supervision, is a lot less likely to be abused. Reasons for this are simple; an MLDA of 18 removes not only the mystery, but also the rebellion of drinking. Parents can talk with their children over dinner about consumption, sons and daughters can enjoy a nice gin-and-tonic with their families, and mothers can sleep at night knowing just what their progeny are up to. With a lower drinking age, alcohol is effectively taken out of the “gray areas” in common interaction. Kids do not have to hide the fact that they drink, they can talk about issues with superiors without being persecuted, and most important of all, they can just sit back and enjoy a nice cold drink with friends in a social environment that condones such activities. No more sneaking bottles in through the back door, no more lying to parents about what went on at last nights party, and most important, no more fear about calling for help if someone has too much to drink.

MLDA 21 is a major flaw in today’s society, where drinking is ubiquitous and arrests and deaths stemming from such activities even more so. It is my belief that lowering this over-bearing, illogical, and overtly imprisoning policy to the age of 18 would trump many issues within the United States. Europe has shown that low MLDA restrictions actually maintain a source of alcohol awareness, limiting fatal accidents and reducing crime. With the reduction of MLDA in the United States, safe drinking environments for young people would be newly accessible, tactless funding of anti-alcohol enforcement agencies would be diminished, our economy would flourish (with the influx of all persons newly allowed to purchase spirits), alcohol-related crashes would presumably decrease, and those who fight for our country would be able to kick back and enjoy a nice, cold beer or two. In other words, why spend valuable resources and time combating an obviously uncontrollable activity when instead money could not only be saved, but also made if these individuals – previously being arrested for underage consumption – could now go out and freely drink and purchase alcoholic beverages? There is no excuse for this, action must be taken, I implore you, make your voice count – petition to lower MLDA 21, it just makes sense.

Works Cited

“Afghanistan deaths: Heartbreaking Facebook message of soldier killed with five comrades.” Chris Brooke, Liz Hull, Keith Gladdis, and James Tozer 9 March 2012.

“Alcohol and Young People – the Law.” Gov.UK 22 October 2012.

“Alcohol-related Deaths in the UK, 2010.”

“Behavioral Policies and Teen Traffic Behavior.” Thomas S. Dee and William N. Evans May 2001.

“Chapter 7 – The effectiveness of alcohol policy.” Europa.eu 2007.

“DUI Laws in France.” Denise Kelly 2007.

“Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000.” Alexander C. Wagenaar and Traci L. Toomey.

“Information on Federal Funds Targeted at Prevention.” United States General Accounting Office May 2001.

“Table 38 – Crime in the United States 2009.” Federal Investigation Bureau 2009.

“The Commercial Value of Underage and Pathological Drinking to the Alcohol Industry.” Joseph A. Califano, Jr. May 2006.

“Wasting the Best and Brightest.” The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University 15 March 2007.

“2009 Drunk Driving Statistics.” Alcohol Alert! Intervention at the Point of Consumption 2011.

Proposition of Value, Reduced Drinking Age

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:59:29 -0500

Proposition of Value:

Defending, Reduced Drinking Age

Opposing, Current Drinking Age

Functional Essay

Parker Catalano

pcatalan@umail.iu.edu

CMCL-C228 16668, Argumentation and Public Advocacy

Professor Brian Scott Amsden

November 5, 2012

Imagine one day that you are driving home from the mall after picking up your child and his friend, and your life freezes. Immediately, you enter a world of darkness, everything you know around you is put on hold – your car is mangled, its skeletal frame lies naked to the elements. Doors to the car lay scattered on the road; pieces of glass are not only stuck to the seat, but also buried within your own skin. Seventeen days later you awake from a coma to learn that every rib is shattered, your lungs have collapsed, your heart is bruised, your kidneys have been sliced apart, your pelvis is fractured, and you have lacerations covering the entirety of your body. You were just hit by a stolen van driven by a sixteen-year-old whose brain is suffocating in a cesspit of booze. 63-year-old Robert Cardillo, along with his fifteen-year-old son, survived this brutal experience on the night of April 1^st, 2005. Today, Cardillo – a former Wall Street executive and entrepreneur – suffers severe arthritic pain and post-traumatic stress stemming from the demolition of his body structure (Larsen, and Kidd). In society today, tragedies stemming from underage consumption are ubiquitous, but they prove to be an effective emotional source of exemplifying the irresponsibility of minors in their ever-waging war against societal influences.

It is quite evident that minors whom consume alcohol seriously limit their critical thinking skills and express a severe lack of responsibility – a precarious problem that presents itself in the day-to-day experiences of morally astute citizens. In order to more fully comprehend the devastating effects of underage drinking on both the body and society at large, I will define the key term of this proposition, “underage drinking.” Furthermore, I will provide an analysis on the effects of alcohol on the developing brain and provide a set of criteria that will define the negative impacts of such drinking on the public as a whole. With this set of criteria, I will prove that the reduction of the state-instated drinking age of 21 is wholly inappropriate – potentially eliminating the “effectiveness” of the law altogether.

According to the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), underage drinking is defined as “any use of alcohol by persons under the legal drinking age of 21” (Birckmayer, Boothroyd, Fisher, Grube, and Holder). Additionally, when dealing with the consumption of alcohol, it is important to understand what exactly a “standard drink” is. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines a standard drink as one of the following: “12 fluid ounces of regular beer, eight to nine fluid ounces of malt liquor, five fluid ounces of table wine, or a one-point-five fluid ounce shot of 80-proof spirits (whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, tequila, etc.)” (What Is A Standard Drink?). Furthermore, one should be familiar with the policies set in place that maintain the “effectiveness” of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (which requires all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of liquor age to 21). Those found in possession of alcohol face a misdemeanor charge, which carries a fine of up to $1000, less than a year in county jail, and up to 60 hours of community service; second offenders face a 90-day license suspension along with the previously stated penalties; third-time offenders face all previous penalties and a license suspension of two years or until the age of 21, whichever time is greater. Those found procuring/selling alcohol to minors (those under the age of 21) face a fourth degree felony charge that carries a fine of up to $5,000 and 18 months in prison. Those found in possession of a fake or altered form of identification used to purchase alcohol face a petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and fourth degree felony, carrying fines of up to $500, $300, and $5,000, respectively. Additionally, sentences up to six months, 90 days, and 18 months, respectively, are applied in combination with a probation term of varying length appointed by the head of the court (“Transportation.unm.edu”).

Comprehending the penalties of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 is logically a valuable tool in understanding the government’s approach to effectively manage minors, but opponents may dispute what the expression “effective” genuinely dictates. Defined, “effective” simply means, “producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect” (“effective”). This seems a fairly straightforward definition, but what exactly are the government’s “desired effects” of the underage-drinking ban? Congress stated that the intention of the MLDA 21 (Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21) policy is to “lower alcohol use and its associated problems among youth” (Wagenaar). Referencing “associated problems” are issues with the development of a minor’s brain, exposing minors to unsafe environments, reducing alcohol-related vehicular crashes, and reducing alcohol-induced fatalities. In order to measure Congress’ ability to curve these negative influences, I will identify specific data referencing periods before and after the introduction of MLDA 21, arrest records, and alcohol-related vehicular crash and fatality statistics.

By understanding what a typical “standard drink” is, one may begin analyzing alcohol’s effects on the developing body of persons under 21. Acting as a central nervous system depressant, alcohol initially appears to “stimulate” the body as a result of decreased activity in parts of the brain that control inhibitions – a very serious effect that causes great damage to the body. According to the government program Too Smart to Start, alcohol affects many regions within the brain including: the cerebral cortex, the central nervous system, the frontal lobe, hippocampus, cerebellum, hypothalamus, and the medulla. Deeper analysis on each region shows that alcohol impedes the cerebral cortex as it struggles to evaluate information gathered from the senses, slows down the central nervous system – disrupting thinking patterns and slurring speech, disorienting the frontal lobe which confuses emotions and leads to angry outbursts (long periods of alcohol use make this a permanent effect), and damages the hippocampus making it difficult – and in some cases impossible – to retain information even if it was just learned (as with the frontal lobe this may become permanent). Additionally, the cerebellum, which controls coordination, thoughts, and awareness, is damaged, causing the intoxicated individual’s hands to shake violently enough that they may not be able to pick up objects as well as causing them to lose balance and fall. After even a few shots the hypothalamus’ work is upset, causing hunger, thirst, the urge to urinate, and blood pressure to increase while the body’s internal temperature and heart rate decrease (a very dangerous side-effect if stuck in the cold). The last part of the brain to be damaged by alcohol is the medulla, which controls the autonomous nervous system (oversees such things as a person’s heartbeat and breathing pattern) and also functions as a sort of furnace, keeping the body warm. When alcohol is introduced, the medulla is disrupted and a person’s breathing rate may decrease as well as a substantial drop in body temperature, which may lead to hypothermia (“Alcohol and the Developing Brain”).

Grasping the effects of alcohol on the developing brain makes it feasible to understand the connection between intoxication and violent crimes such as sexual assault, battery with injury, and vehicular manslaughter. With alcohol indirectly acting as a vicious weapon of casualty, MLDA 21 is responsible for expansive protection for a vast majority of the public. Prior to the adoption of MLDA 21, 59 percent of individuals aged 18- to 20-years-old had consumed alcohol in the previous month. After its ratification by Congress in 1984, the MLDA 21 policy exhibited extensive correlations to significantly decreased alcohol usage rates – by 1991 only 40 percent of minors aged 18- to 20-years old reported alcohol usage within the past month (“Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age”). Furthermore, the effectiveness of the MLDA 21 policy is expressed through the arrest records pertaining to liquor laws and drunkenness. In 2000, 311,989 persons were arrested for actions violating the registered liquor laws and 363,705 persons were arrested for drunkenness. By 2009, a drastic dip in arrests for alcohol violations was witnessed, 244,047 persons were arrested for violations of the current liquor laws and 331,804 persons for public drunkenness (“Table 33 – Crime in the United States 2009”).

Another stipulation for lowering the MLDA 21 to 18 would be the creation of extremely dangerous environments for minors, an enormous flaw that undermines valuable restrictions that prevent vehicular fatalities and various violent crimes. Past data indicates that roughly, “76 percent of bars have sold alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons, and about half of drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or killed as alcohol-involved drivers in traffic crashes did their drinking at licensed establishments.” Moreover, “neighborhoods with higher densities of bars, nightclubs, and other alcohol-selling locations suffer more frequent assaults and other violent crimes” (“ProCon.org”). If the MLDA 21 were to be dropped to 18-years-of-age, an enormous influx of individuals would gain open access to alcohol-furnishing establishments; because of this, it is extremely plausible for a substantial increase in vehicular manslaughter, alcohol-related vehicular fatalities, and various violent crimes including aggravated rape, battery with injury, and homicide. For obvious reasons, the amendment of MLDA 21 would be horrendous for cities populated with bars nightclubs – Chicago, New York, California – and such a transition could prove deadly for those with access to automobiles. It should also be noted that MLDA 18 is not a right. On December 22, 1978, Honorable Ralph Guy, Jr. ruled that MLDA 21 was, “reasonably related to a state objection of reducing highway crashes.” Additionally, it was ruled that MLDA 21 withstood three constitutional objections on key legal issues:

“(1) Drinking alcohol is not a ‘fundamental’ right guaranteed by the Constitution, (2) age is not inherently a ‘suspect’ criteria for discrimination (in contrast to race or ethnicity, for example) and (3) using the drinking age to prevent highway crashes has a “rational basis” in available scientific evidence” (Guy, Jr.).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that the implementation of MLDA 21 has reduced the number of fatal alcohol-related driving collisions for 18- to 20-year-olds by 13 percent and has saved roughly 27,052 persons in the period of 1975-2008 (“Traffic Safety Facts, 2008”). It has also been shown that MLDA has reduced overall alcohol consumption. In a meta-study done in 2002, 87 percent of all MLDA 21-related analyses attributed lower alcohol consumption with a higher legal drinking age. Additionally, 100 of 102 studies found that a higher legal drinking age was associated with lower rates of traffic accidents (Wagenaar, and Toomey). A report carried out by the NHTSA, written in 2009, found that the percentage of nighttime drivers operating vehicles during the weekends with a BAC of .08 or higher had declined from five-point-four percent in 1986 (two years after the induction of MLDA 21) to two-point-two percent in 2007 (“NMS Labs”). Likewise, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) – one of the most prolific alcohol-education programs – shows that past-month alcohol usage rates declined between 2002 and 2008. Individuals in the 12- to 13-year-old range decreased past-month alcohol usage from four-point-three percent to three-point-four percent; 14- to 15-year-olds decreased usage from 16.6 percent to 13.1 percent; 16- to 17-year-olds decreased usage from 32.6 percent to 26.2 percent; and 18- to 20-year-olds decreased usage from 51 percent to 48.7 percent (“SADD – Students Against Destructive Decisions”).

In conclusion, the implementation and execution of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 has made substantial advances in diminishing the use of alcohol by minors. Furthermore, generous expanses of research studies prove that the decrease in alcohol consumption is not slowing down, but actually increasing as the judicial system pursues the criminal violators. Alcohol-related fatalities have decreased, public intoxication and liquor law violations have diminished, and alcohol usage rates among teenagers aged 18- to 20-years-old have plummeted. Clearly, the introduction of MLDA 21 has not only proven “effective” in lowering alcohol use and its associated problems among youth, but it has educated the public on the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing mind, body, and society at large.

Works Cited

Birckmayer, Johanna D., Renee I. Boothroyd, Deborah A. Fisher, Joel W. Grube, and Harold D. Holder. “Prevention of Underage Drinking: Logic Model Documentation.” Pire.org. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 8 2008. Web. 1 Nov 2012.

“Drinking Age.” ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 25 2012. Web. 4 Nov 2012. http://drinkingage.procon.org/.

“Effective.” Effective - Definition and More From the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effective.

Guy Jr., Ralph. United States. U.S. District Court. Ref. Civil No. 8-73015 and Civil No. 8-73159. Detroit, MI: Eastern District of Michigan, 1978. Web.

Larsen, Erik, and Lauren O. Kidd. “Crash survivor living proof of underage drinking dangers.” App.com. The Asbury Park Press NJ, 11 2007. Web. 1 Nov 2012. http://www.app.com/article/20071111/NEWS/711110533/Crash-survivor-living-proof-underage-drinking-dangers.

“Penalties for Under-21 Alcohol Offenses.” Transportation.unm.edu. New Mexico Traffic Safety Bureau, Department of Transportation and The Institute of Public Law, University of New Mexico School of Law, n.d. Web. 3 Nov 2012. http://transportation.unm.edu/pubs/Under21-11x8.pdf.

“Results of the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers.” NMS Labs. NMS Labs, 22 2009. Web. Web. 4 Nov. 2012. http://www.nmslabs-blog.com/post/Results-of-the-2007-National-Roadside-Survey-of-Alcohol-and-Drug-Use-by-Drivers.aspx.

“SADD Statistics.” SADD - Students Against Destructive Decisions. SADD, n.d. Web. 4 Nov 2012. http://sadd.org/stats.htm#underage.

United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Age 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012. Web. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/mlda.htm.

United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. What Is A Standard Drink? 2011. Web. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/standard-drink.

United States. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Alcohol and the Developing Brain. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012. Web. http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/families/facts/brain.aspx.

United States. U.S. Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Investigation. Table 33 - Crime in the United States 2009. U.S. Department of Justice, 2010. Web. http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/data/table_33.html.

United States. U.S. Department of Transportation. Traffic Safety Facts, 2008. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008. Web. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811170.pdf.

Wagenaar, Alexander C., and Traci L. Toomey. “Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Laws: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000.” H.W. Wilson Company, n.d. Web. 4 Nov 2012. http://www.nabca.org/assets/Docs/effectsminimumdrinkingagelaws.pdf.

Wagenaar, Alexander C. United States. National Institutes of Health. Effects of Minimum Drinking Age Policies: Review and Analyses of the Literature from 1960 to 2000. College Drinking, 2005. Web. http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/supportingresearch/journal/wagenaar.aspx.

Ancient and Medieval Art, Essay #1 - Formal Analysis of Egyptian Work

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 22:02:54 -0400

Parker Catalano

FINA A101, Ancient and Medieval Art

27 August 2012

Formal Analysis

The pair statue of Ptahkhenuwy and his wife appears to be a freestanding sculpture dating back to the Old Kingdom, 5^th Dynasty (2465-2323 B.C.E.). As seen on the statue, the colors appear to be rather muted except for intricate detail on the jewelry that is adorned by the wife. It is also important to note that this sculpture is in fact property of a private individual – not a king – that is why it seems so plainly carved and lacking in-depth detail.

The statue is a depiction of a man (Ptahkhenuwy) and his wife embracing on a stone platform. The sculpture appears to be in the neighborhood of two and a half feet tall and is of painted limestone. The male figure is wearing nothing but a kilt, and both wear a small necklace resting on their necks. The male figurine’s hair is crosshatched to give the impression of potentially matted hair, as is the woman’s. Both figures possess extremely large noses and rather bulbous eyes. The woman is shown clutching the arm of the man – who is standing upright. She is wearing a full dress of white. Additionally, the male statue has a considerably darker skin tone than his female counterpart.

Looking at the composition of the sculpture, it is quite obvious that this piece has a fleeting amount of detail; however, much attention is drawn to the large triangular kilt worn by Ptahkhenuwy. Additionally, for some reason the sculptor decided to leave an abundance of open space between both the figures and the pedestal and backdrop on which they stand. The characters are placed very closely together in open space. When examining color, the eye should instantly recognize that most detail is centralized on the neckpieces of Ptahkhenuwy and his woman. Overall, the piece contains very little color – except for tiny details in the jewelry such as the turquoise and green additions – and is coated in broad swathes of neutral earth tones. Furthermore, the sculptor decided to paint the male figure with a much darker skin pigmentation – this seems to be consistent in many Ancient Egyptian pieces. Line also plays an important role in this piece. The straight angles stemming from the left side of the statue – the man’s right arm – and the triangular shape of the kilt help to guide the readers’ eyes both up and down the statue. Additionally, the lines appear to be thick and continuous – creating stillness within the piece that enhances the outline of the sculpture in favor of highlighting minimal details. As for the use of proportion and scale within the artwork, the sculptor leaves very little acknowledgeable attributes. The piece is asymmetrical, however, both man and woman appear to be of the same relative size – possibly showing the equality of their marriage. The last distinguishable aspect of this piece is the absence of any natural or aesthetic light created by the artist. Moreover, the sculptor failed to include the use of shadow within his work.

The statue of Ptahkhenuwy and his wife appears to be a rather generic piece of Ancient Egyptian artwork. The sculpture appears to be quite typical – the male is darker than the female, crosshatched hair, and formal Egyptian attire. Adding to my knowledge of Egyptian art, this piece highlights the differences in detail between a private owner’s artwork and a king/pharaoh’s art pieces.

*PS: The attached link has image of statue.

Proposition of Fact, Reduced Drinking Age

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:59:00 -0400

Proposition of Fact:

Reduced Drinking Age

Parker Catalano

pcatalan@umail.iu.edu

Argumentation and Public Advocacy, CMCL C228 16668

Professor Brian Scott Amsdem

September 10, 2012

On Sunday, August 5, 2012, Carmel High School student Brett Finbloom died of alcohol poisoning while at a summer party, days before the start of college. The individual whom contacted the police reported that the boy had no pulse as he proceeded to perform CPR on the motionless body (McCleery). His mother, Dawn Finbloom, stated that Brett was “very gentle, didn’t complain, would help out his friends.” Before leaving his home at 9:15 p.m., Brett negotiated with his parents a 1:30 a.m. curfew. Mr. Finbloom was pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m. – not only did he not make it home, he did not make it past his curfew (Hensel).

With the relative ease towards the acquisition, possession, and consumption of alcohol by minors, underage drinking is a leading health concern in the United States. The social nature of underage drinking among youth with excessive, and abusive use leads to many hospitalizations and even deaths due to overconsumption. Annually, approximately 5,000 youth – those under the age of 21 – die as a result of underage consumption (Underage Drinking…Prevented).

In order to more easily grasp the nature of alcohol, as well as its related charges and consequences, I will distinguish the difference between alcohol dependency and alcoholism in addition to analyzing the aspects of hazing and binge drinking (examining the definition of a “drink”). Furthermore, I will discuss in detail the current number of deaths and injuries directly linked to the consumption of alcohol. Thirdly, I will examine the age distribution of underage consumers as well as the association of alcoholism and alcohol dependency on those who drank in their earlier years in comparison to those who drank at a legal age. Conclusively, I will discuss the drinking habits of students in college as well as associated hazing and arrests stemming from the consumption of liquor.

According to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, alcohol dependence is defined as a “maladaptive pattern of drinking, leading to significant impairment or distress…” Additionally, the person(s) must exhibit three or more of the following conditions inclusive within a 12-month time span:

· Need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication or desired effect; or markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol

· The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol; or drinking (or using a closely related substance) to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms

· Drinking in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended.

· Persistent desire or one or more unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control drinking

· Important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced because of drinking

· A great deal of time spent in activities necessary to obtain, to use, or to recover from the effects of drinking

· Continued drinking despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to be caused or exacerbated by drinking.

In contrast, alcohol abuse is defined in the same manner with the exception that the person(s) must experience only one of the following conditions within a 12-month period of time:

· Recurrent use of alcohol resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use; alcohol-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)

· Recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by alcohol use)

· Recurrent alcohol-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for alcohol-related disorderly conduct)

· Continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of alcohol (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of intoxication) (“Appendix B: DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence”).

Supplementing the varying forms of alcohol dependencies, hazing plays a major role in college campuses around the world – with most forms including the use of alcohol. Dr. Susan Lipkins, a leading expert on hazing with 20 years of psychology experience, defines hazing as, “a process, based on a tradition that is used by groups to discipline and to maintain a hierarchy” (Lipkins). Texas A&M’s Offices of the Dean of Student Life defines a ‘drink’ as one of the following: 12 oz. beer, 1.5 oz. of 80 proof liquor, 5 oz. of wine, 7 oz. of malt liquor or ice beer, or a 10 oz. wine cooler (“Offices of the Dean… Texas A&M”). Empirically, binge drinking is a major player in hazing and is described by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) as “a pattern of drinking that brings a persons’ blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above” – typically five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women within a two hour time span (Binge Drinking).

Of the 5,000 drinking-related annual deaths, roughly 1,900 deaths stemmed from motor vehicle incidents in which one (or both) of the drivers were under the influence of liquor, 1,600 deaths resulting from homicidal rage, and 300 deaths resulting from alcohol-induced depression. Additionally, each year, approximately one to five deaths from alcohol are the result of burns, falls, and drowning (Underage Drinking…Prevented).

These statistics may sound alarming, but when looking at the distribution of children whom consumed alcohol the figures seem quite proportional. According to a study prepared by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) surveying 46,733 students across 400 schools, “13.8% of 8^th graders, 28.9% of 10^th graders, and 41.2% of 12^th graders had consumed at least one drink in the 30 days prior to being surveyed, 5.0% of 8^th graders, 14.7% of 10^th graders, and 26.8% of 12^th graders had been drunk” (Alcohol). Another report conducted by the NIAAA found that, in 2009, 10.4million youths between the ages of 12 and 20 had consumed “more than a few sips” of alcohol. Furthermore, by the age of 15 nearly fifty percent of the teenage population has consumed their first alcoholic beverage; by 18, roughly seventy percent of the teenage population has partaken in underage drinking. With teenage drinking rates soaring, alcohol-related hospital visits have skyrocketed to a staggering 190,000 injuries in 2008 (Underage Drinking). Underage drinking is already bad enough – primarily because it is illegal – but the true significance lays in the future consequences stemming from very early drinking. According to an article written by Dr. Rick Nauert, Ph.D. – an expert of over 25 years in academic, clinical, and administrative healthcare – states that, of those who drank before the age of fourteen, 47 percent experienced alcohol dependence at some point in their life. In stark contrast, of the individuals who began drinking at 21, only nine percent experience alcohol dependency in their lifetime. This is a frightening factor to consider when statistically, 26 percent of children ages thirteen and younger have consumed alcohol – more than just a few sips (Nauert).

Alcohol dependence can lead to very serious issues, especially leading into college where not only academics are severely affected, but the possibility of criminal charges become very real. According to the NIAAA, approximately one in four college students drink, and of those whom consume alcohol about half do it through binge drinking. Every year, about 1,825 college students between the ages of 18-24 die as an unintentional result of drinking. Alcohol on college campuses has been the root of roughly 690,000 assaults on persons aged 18-24, annually. Furthermore, of students aged 18-24, 97,000 have experienced sexual assault/abuse, 599,000 have suffered injuries, and 2.8 million drive under the influence. Nearly 25 percent of students in college report that they are missing classes, failing assignments, doing poorly on tests and exams, and falling behind predominantly due to intensive drinking habits. However, there is still hope for those with alcohol dependency; according to a recent report done by the NIAAA on alcohol dependence, results showed that more than 70 percent of those with alcohol dependency/alcoholism typically have episodes that average three to four years (College Drinking). For those who cannot seem to trump their drinking habits, criminal charges begin to actualize.

According to the Federal Investigation Bureau’s online arrest records, 61,561 persons under the age of eighteen were arrested for liquor laws; specifically, 8,859 persons under the age of eighteen have been arrested for drunkenness (“Table 32”). An exceptional example of college drinking and its subsequent criminal predisposition towards arrest was highlighted last weekend at Indiana University’s tailgate against Ball State University. In three days, IUPD excise officers arrested a record-setting 188 persons. Of these 188 individuals, 110 were arrested during the tailgate on Saturday. More importantly, of these arrests, 106 were charged with possession or consumption of alcohol as an underage person (Taylor).

These arrests are representative of the significant drinking that occurs within the United States. Hazing from athletic teams, fraternities, and sororities alike play a key role in some of the alcohol-related charges around college campuses. More pertinent are the arrests and activities involved in the pledge processes of sororities and fraternities and the similar hazing processes of the athletic teams. According to a representative sample of 737 undergraduates conducted by Cornell University, thirty-seven percent indicated that they have been involved in activities considered by the university to be considered part of a hazing ritual. Of this population, 17 percent reported participation in alcohol-related hazing activities, four percent reported they were ordered to destroy or vandalize private property, and 15 percent reported sleep deprivation (Hazing.Cornell.Edu). According to the United States Consensus Bureau, in 2011 there were 19.7 million individuals enrolled in a university setting. In 2009, roughly 50 percent of the college population was comprised of 18- and 19-year-olds. About five percent of 4-year college students were involved with the police for drinking incidents and 110,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 were arrested for incidences such as public intoxication and driving while under the influence of alcohol (“Profile America, Facts for Figures”). Additionally, more than 25 percent of administrators for low-level party campuses and 50 percent of administrators from larger colleges state that they experience “moderate” or “high” damage to property as a consequence of drinking. With drinking rates at their height, one should not be surprised to learn that 31 percent of college students met the standard guidelines for the diagnosis of alcohol abuse and six percent met the criteria for signs of alcohol dependency in 2010 (“College Drinking – Changing the Culture”).

As the number of peoples entering the college aspect of their lives, the number of alcohol-related injuries sees itself increasing. This issue continuously presents itself as a leading American health concern with its impressive 5,000 alcohol-relaxed deaths a year. Not only does alcohol prove to kill those irresponsible enough to binge drink, but it also presents itself as a major legal obstacle that stands to impede the academic careers of a small population of undergraduates. Increased legal patrol, increasingly easier access to liquor, and the popular use of booze as an instrument of hazing have created difficult environments for students to study and grow – nearly 25 percent of students report that alcohol disrupts their schoolwork. Stories like Brett Finbloom’s surface every year and yet underage persons fail to recognize the dangers of binge drinking and hazing-like activities. These statistics purport the rather heavy impact that intoxicants such as alcohol have on the minds of the youth and stands to be an issue that requires the relentless hands of government to protect the youth of modern age.

Works Cited

“Appendix B: DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.” The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. 4th ed., Rev. ed. Rockville, MD: Office of the Surgeon General (US), 2007. Web. 23 Sep 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44360/.

“A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences.” College Drinking - Changing the Culture. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 7 July 2010. Web. 23 Sep 2012.

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/snapshot.asp&xgt.

“Defining a Drink.” Offices of the Dean of Student Life - Texas A&M. Texas A&M University, 2012. Web. 23 Sep 2012. http://studentlife.tamu.edu/adep/definedrink.

Hensel, Karen. “Carmel teen was ‘gentle spirit.’” WishTV.com. (6 Aug. 2012): 1. WishTV.com. Web. 11 Sep. 2012.

Lipkins, Dr. Susan. “What: The Basics.” Inside Hazing, Understanding Hazardous Hazing. InsideHazing.com, 2011. Web. 23 Sep 2012. http://www.insidehazing.com/definitions.php.

“Research and Theory.” Hazing.Cornell.Edu. Cornell University, 2012. Web. 23 Sep 2012. http://hazing.cornell.edu/cms/hazing/issues/research.cfm.

McCleery, Bill. “Brett Finbloom investigation: Carmel police ‘days away’ on legal action.” Indystar.com. (10 Aug. 2012): 1. Indystar.com A Gannet Company. Web. 11 Sep. 2012

Nauert, Rick. “Early Teenage Drinking Linked to Alcoholism.” PsychCentral. 05 July 2006: n. page. Web. 19 Sep. 2012. http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/07/05/early-teenage-drinking-linked-to-alcoholism/67.html.

Taylor, Kate. “Indiana history: Excise officers arrest 110 people at IU tailgate.” Wane.com. News Channel 15, 17 Sep 2012. Web. 20 Sep 2012. http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/crime/excise-officers-arrest-188-people-over-3-days-at-iu.

United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Binge Drinking. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010. Web. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm.

United States. “Department of Health and Human Services”. Underage Drinking, Why Do Adolescents Drink, What Are the Risks, and How Can Underage Drinking Be Prevented? Rockville, MD: 2006. Web. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA67/AA67.htm.

United States. Federal Investigation Bureau. Table 32. 2012. Web. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/tables/10tbl32.xls.

United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. College Drinking. 2011. Web. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/college-drinking.

United States. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Underage Drinking. 2011. Web. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking.

United States. “National Institute on Drug Abuse”. Alcohol. 2012. Web. http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/alcohol.

United States. United States Consensus Bureau. Profile America, Facts for Figures. U.S. Department of Commerce, 2011. Web. http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff15.html.

Critique; "Hype"

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:17:29 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell

ACP W131

13 October 2011

A Critique on Kalle Lasn’s

“Hype”

Dogmatically citing numerous examples of advertising and its respective corrosive effect on the minds of nearly every American citizen from waking till slumber, Kalle Lasn biasedly assaults corporate advertising and its flood of psycho-effluence through use of emotionally-charged arguments, statistics, and the explanation of copious marketing endeavors. Lasn, having comprehensively dissected the science of consumerism in a number of award-winning, self-directed documentaries, contends that advertising is the “largest single psychological project ever undertaken by the human race” (218); a project which subverts the privacy and individualism of modern culture.

Lasn alludes to the idea that advertising is an ever-expanding medium slowly choking the thoughts and actions of consumers in a desperate struggle to break through the mind-numbing clutter established by competing companies in an attempt to sway emotional and psychological favor. The author utilizes circular reasoning in his passage examining this visual clutter stating, “anywhere your eyes can possibly come to rest is now a place that, in corporate America’s view, can and ought to be filled with a logo or product message” (218). Lasn’s supercharged statement veers the reader towards his premise that advertisements are essentially a brainwashing tool utilized to garner the support of the millions of people subjected to them on a day-to-day basis. Although this message appears rather oversimplified, the author does provide a superb account of the pragmatic whims of corporate advertisers and their insatiable pursuit to plaster their products on every available, logical piece of land. Such numbers as the estimated 12.32 billion advertisements swallowed by the public everyday substantiate the assertion that advertisements have become the ubiquitous annoyance that pesters the realm of consumers into corporate submission.

Clutter is an understatement in the marketing world of America, but the evils surrounding it may be a bit far-fetched. Yes, advertisements are posted everywhere, and yes advertisements may be outrageous by nature, but the benefits shadowed by the glitzy aura of such endorsements are not to be forgotten. In Lasn’s over-zealous molestation of the apparent antagonistic attributes of advertising, he abrogates – in a hasty generalization – that advertising is “the most prevalent and toxic of the mental pollutants” (217). This narrow-minded, extraordinarily biased accusation completely circumvents the rather deep pool of benefits that such promotion offers. Fairly little thought must go into this argument to uncover that yes, advertisements may be the clutter of America, but without such stimulation, our economy would not only depreciate significantly but may altogether implode upon itself. Other obvious benefits to such advertisements include the vast amounts of health coverage previously unreachable by lesser interest groups. By solely citing the evils of advertising, the author fails to make fair connection as to why the use of commercials should decline.

Works Cited

Lasn, Kalle. “Hype.” Signs of Life in the USA, 4^th ed. Ed. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martens, 2003. 217-220. Print.

Analytical Summary; The Man Who Couldn't Stop Eating

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:12:56 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell

ACP W131

3 October 2011

Road to Weight Loss, a Matter of Willpower

In his article, “The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Eating,” MacArthur Fellowship recipient and Harvard Medical School professor Atul Gawande sheds light upon a growing epidemic of obesity, with willpower – not surgery – as the solution to a thinner society.

Gawande observes that, as obesity becomes a growing infringement on the ideologies of modern culture, the intricacies of the Roux-en-Y gastric-bypass have become the pragmatic solution to an otherwise insatiable appetite. He has found however, that this surgery is not a one-stop panacea but rather the catalyst acting to initiate the resolve of the individual. Gawande has exposed, through numerous observations, that it is this resolve, this determination, of an individual which is the true remedy for obesity.

Gawande’s dissection of corpulence begins after the introduction of prime patient and focus of the article, Vincent Caselli. Described as a rotund, middle-aged man of short stature, Caselli becomes a sort of paragon for weight loss as the author progressively tracks his success throughout the article, both prior- and post-surgery. Exposed through the author’s detailed observations comes the metamorphosis of his patient’s diet; Caselli had gradually shifted from greasy burgers and fatty fries to a more nutritional salad choice stemming purely from an increased resolution and an immense yearning for weight loss. Caselli was quoted describing how he eventually began leaning towards protein and vegetables – a profound advancement that led the author to believe that it was willpower and inner courage which provide for the success of his patients. Additionally, the author found that both the inner workings of the body and social condemnation of the obese play very large roles in weight fluctuation. Gawande exercised these theories with detailed descriptions concerning environmental and neurological influences of obesity such as the brain processes that trigger stretch, protein, and fat receptors to stimulate engorgement, or social pressures which cause stress and poor eating habits to develop. Epitomizing these detailed observations of the overweight’s lifestyle, Caselli’s eating habits, which Gawande observes to be much of the same as the average person, are used to illustrate that portion sizes are vastly differing variables. For example, Caselli stated that he unable to cease gorging until every food article had been consumed from both his plate and from the serving dishes. Additionally, Caselli’s hypothalamus triggers receptors on his tongue which drive him to voraciously consume his provisions at a vastly more rapid pace before his gut signals shut off the “appetizer effect.” Gawande explains to the reader that these neurological processes cannot be circumvented, but must be dealt with directly by the victim of obesity. In other words, the willpower of the individuals must be greater than their desire to consume large portions of food in a short period of time.

The author observes that it is this determination to halt significant weight gain and begin monitoring food intake that is the real antidote to obesity. No amount of surgery may bypass a person’s will to continue their gluttonous habits unless they are both willing and able to muster the resolution to curve both their diets and behaviors concerning nutrition. Gawande provides a textbook example of the raw power of one’s drive to rapaciously devour sustenance in his account of an unnamed man whose eating habits trumped surgical procedures in his fight against obesity. The gastric bypass patient was quoted saying “I started eating again. Pizzas. Boxes of sugar cookies. Packages of doughnuts (Gawande 324).” In other words, it was this man’s drive to eat, to gorge himself even through unbelievable pain and nausea, which erased the medical procedures progress. Gawande observed that it is purely self-discipline which conquers one’s weight, no amount of surgery is able to determine the outcome of an individual’s life, only their resolution can accomplish such a colossal task. Also provided by the author was a paradigm of the success of willpower in an individual, Carla, whose eating habits were drastically changed not by the surgery itself, but by the result of the operation on her body. Carla reasoned that the sweeping amendment to her diet had been spurred by the product of a massive increment to her self-esteem, stemming from a considerable loss of weight. Not only has this weight loss created an exponentially more exuberant being, but has created a source of inner strength which inevitably lead to a lighter body structure. Gawande attributed Carla’s prodigious weight loss to her inherent ability to question her eating habits; the surfacing resolve of his patient was the source to the success of the operation, not solely a disheartened diet.

Gawande concludes that weight loss is not solely incumbent upon food intake, surgery, or diets, but is primarily derived from the inner strength of the individual striving to attain it. By introducing specific examples of overweight Americans, Gawande reveals that only those select few with the courage to change both their food lifestyles and state of mind are the ones which experience the glory of a lean, healthy body.

Works Cited

Gawande, Atul. “The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Eating.” Writing and Reading for ACP Composition. Comp. Thomas E. Leahey and Christine P. Farris. New York. Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009. 314-327. Print.

Weighted Comparisons; The Killings

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:09:28 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell, ACP L202

Microtheme #4 Weighted Comparisons

25 April 2012

Impulse, the Making of a Killer

Swindled into the radiation of violence and emotional crippling that accompanies the murder of young Frank Fowler creeps an unnatural question of a more bestial fashion, what creates a killer? Andre Dubus answers this rather dynamic question in “Killings,” where impulse and grievances carry the ability to mitigate emotional troughs through the establishment of impulsive, animalistic tendencies that culminate into homicide.

This undercurrent of violence permeates throughout Dubus’ short-story as the reader comes to understand the circumstantial background that develops from Richard Strout’s lunacy in the murder of his divorcee’s lover. It is learned that Matt Fowler is a bereaved older man whose excessive love for his wife, Ruth, develops into a fanatical drive to kill – a seemingly inconceivable act by a man of such good nature. The author seems to explore this phenomenon as a metaphorical truth in nature, that revenge, no matter the individual, will at some point overwhelm the person to the position of murder. A closer look into this theory allows the reader to present the facts behind the statement. One aspect behind Fowler’s murder is the element of pressure. Pressure derived from societal views and pity on the death of one so young, pressure from Ruth, and the pressure to succumb to the fact that his son is gone leads to insurmountable grief and anger. This inability to cope with such anguish is supported in Ruth’s chronic sightings of their son’s executioner. It is plausible to believe that Mr. Fowler was acting from his own intuition, from his instinct to assuage his wife’s sorrow by eliminating the symbol that created such strife, but one must remember that this is a grown man whose actions are the zenith of his life’s experience. Would it be arguable to say that every person is capable of such an atrocious act? Dubus appears to argue in inclination of this underlying question by representing such an ordinary personality to commit an excessively heinous crime. Additionally, it may be helpful to look towards the recounting of this tragic event in Todd Field’s rendition In the Bedroom.

In his critically acclaimed film, Field portrays the events surrounding the murder of Frank Fowler in a highly dissimilar fashion than that of Dubus’ novella. A pivotal element in the creation of such a plot involves the issue of having a single child. Does this amplify the pain of loss? Undoubtedly, but it also draws considerable attention to the grieving process illuminated by Ruth and Matt. By creating circumstances in which the amplification of pain is accompanied by the unremitting sightings of the murderer, Field creates a scenario that condones the revenge of his son’s slayer. Is this an unethical, immoral motivation that is fashioned? Some would argue so, but it highlights an incidence in which the human psyche hits threshold breaking point, following through to a summit at which rage substitutes logic and assassination becomes permissible.

In both movie and novella, the pervasive role of impulse is presented in a highly cynical fashion, providing insights into the human mind in regards to the motivation to commit murder. Concrete evidence seems to direct the reader’s attention to the importance of family, and when something significant is taken away, it is impulse that drives the individual to right the wrongdoings perceived to have been done. Simply put, when an object or person of importance is taken away prematurely through synthetic devices, an animalistic urge bubbles to the surface, inevitably creating a killer.

Works Cited

Dubus, Andre. “Killings.” Making Literature Matter, 4^th ed. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2009. 1175-1188. Print.

In the Bedroom. Perf. Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, and Marisa Tomei. 2001. Miramax, 2002. DVD.

Microtheme #2 Hard Lessons

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:02:05 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell

Microtheme #2, ACP L202

2 March 2012

Stereotypes, the Convolution of Poverty and Wealth

Jimmy Santiago Baca presents and boldly debates the notion of the alienation of Mexican workers in his ruthlessly sarcastic poem, “So Mexicans Are Taking Jobs from Americans.” The poet unravels a tangle of refrains to reveal an enormous truth: Mexicans are not taking jobs by force, nor are they taking jobs through malicious trickery, they take them because Americans are too entwined within the workings of their daily lives to pay heed to the dwindling job market.

To develop a better understanding of the poem, the reader should pay attention to the emotionally-loaded tone of Baca’s verses. Beginning his barrage of sarcasm with a highly derisive, rhetorical question of pure criticism and impatience, one should be able to conclude that the poet has strong feelings toward the stereotyping of his people. To further entrap into the mind the dealings of Mexican workers with the American job force, the poet notes that Americans idle with harlots while immigrants are off looking for jobs – asking the reader “as you’re walking home with a whore, do they mug you, a knife at your throat, saying I want you job?” (10-12). Of course these immigrant workers are not attacking the American job force in the literal sense, but under the blankets of discretion they slowly wind their way into the palms of employers – a fact that Baca is attempting to defend against the harsh denigration of America’s indigenous workforce. Why then, would Baca attempt to use heavy sarcasm to fight prejudice? One way to look at it is the fact that sarcasm draws serious negative energy into the text, a feeling of raw sensitivity that allows the reader to understand just how furious the poet is with the generalizations of his people. Furthermore, one should note the drastic change in tone as Baca unveils the truth behind his poetry – that the world is separated into two categories: those who have, and those who have nothing. This is a significant truth that is entwined within Baca’s more prevalent and easily distinguished certainty: the fact that stereotyping a race of people will cease to impact an economy for the better, but, in essence, drag down the spirits of those whom actively seek work.

Delving into the current of sarcasm, the reader should find himself swimming in a pool of truths. Do these truths support the invasion of our job force? Not entirely, but they do entertain the idea that the universal stereotyping of a people will rain only pessimism and squalor. This is an immediate truth that, unlike the Americans in today’s society, is embraced by Baca as he openly shares with the rest of the world. He links this epic truth to the fact that it is not the deprivation of jobs that is killing children and starving families by citing the realities of society – that wealth is controlled by an ever-slimming population of people while “millions and millions of people fight to live…trying to cross poverty to just have something” (34-38). Additionally, it is important to recognize the immediate change in tone as the poet addresses the seriousness of his cause, a disposition rich with anger and frustration. His cause is just, but it is the universal understanding in which he is trying to present. His bridge of understanding develops as he describes the death of the children the people are killing for the reason that we are failing to distinguish the true malignity forming within our once great country. “We aren’t giving the children a chance to live” (41). Such a heartbreaking legitimacy unlocks the door to the universal theme that it is not job loss we are fighting; it is the struggle between wealth and poverty – a struggle that may never be resolved, but needs to be uncovered. It is within this struggle that we blame other people for our own shortcomings – if not the Mexicans then who? It could never be an American fault for a depreciating job market, it is always someone else. This, this dreadful truth is what Baca is digging to uncover so that the eyes of Americans may be opened to their hatred and malice.

It is this convolution between poverty and wealth that the poet urges us to understand. Both immediate and universal truths defend his argument, but it is up to the readers to fully believe in themselves that they can muster the strength to survive this famine of economic filth. Baca leaves one to ponder how it became that we dissolve the livelihoods of Mexican workers in order to earn that extra pinch of income that, in our minds, marks us as superiors – the wealthy. It should be taken away from this poem the unfairness of racial stereotyping and the impact it has on the lives of so many people. We need to stop such undeserved judgment, if not for the betterment of Americans, then for the benefit of whatever optimism is left for those seeking employment.

Works Cited

Baca, Jimmy Santiago. “So Mexicans Are Taking Jobs Away from Americans.” Making Literature Matter, 4^th ed. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2009. 131. Print.

Microtheme #1 Father Poems

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:57:00 -0400

Parker Catalano

ACP L202, Satchwell

Microtheme #1

9 February 2012

A Contemplation on Abuse, is it there?

Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” is an intricate piece of literature steaming with controversial, twisted imagery depicting the abuse of a young boy by a bumbling, drunken father. Entwined within the sixteen lines is a story that may be read from two polarized perspectives: love and violence. A poem that, when delved deep into its script, presents to the reader a memory of love or vice; is it truly hatred that drives the poet, or is it the love of one long past?

Such complexity in the relationship between father and son may be wrought into the working of the most simplistic of doggerels, but Roethke presents a true convolution of such relationships throughout his poetry, inciting epic battles of thought between the scholarly in search of its true intentions. “My Papa’s Waltz” is about the fondness of a father, an adoration of a time wrought with hardships but plush with affection. Starting with the basics, “papa” is a middle French word of endearment (“Papa”). The poet uses this word to paint a scene in which a son and father are frivolously romping around in a room of the house while the mother “could not unfrown [herself]” (8). Notice however that the poet chooses to use the word “romped” (5). Does this suggest violence? Highly unlikely; defined, it means “to play or frolic boisterously” (“Romped”). It would seem quite improbable to use a word with such positive connotations to depict an intoxicated rampage. Moreover, one beaten by a guardian/parent would not refer to such an individual with affection but more likely with words portraying a more dismal, negative connotation of disrespect such as a first name. Furthermore, “The whiskey on your breath” (1) would seem to symbolize a tough livelihood of the father – noting that he is a laborer by trade –or more likely, it could be representative of a hard day’s work as the father happily becomes inebriated prior to returning home. The child seems to understand these hardships and accepts the heavy drinking of his father as he dances “[hanging] on like death” (3). Linked to his drinking comes the battered knuckles of his father; a metaphorical gesture suggesting potential difficulties in the father’s life, possibly violence but more likely monetary issues seeing that he was a simple laborer. The father’s profession comes into play as the author mentions the beating of time with “a palm caked hard by dirt” (14). One may interpret this beating as parental abuse, but it symbolizes quite the opposite; the young boy’s father is, in essence, tapping the rhythm of the drunken dance upon the boy’s head – not a punishment. His hand, which is encrusted with soil, is not so because of poverty, but more likely due to a day attending the gardens. Alternatively, a hand layered in dirt may simply imply a personal lack of hygiene, something not unfamiliar with the poor.

Roethke chooses to conclude his memory with the typical cliché of a son refusing bedtime as the father “waltzed [him] off to bed (s)till clinging to [his] shirt” (15-16). These final lines tie together the true underlying current of the poem, the overwhelming bond between father and son. A bond filled neither with parental abuse nor drunken sadism, but with happiness and serenity that only a father could provide.

Works Cited

“Papa.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 Feb. 2012. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/papa. Web.

Roethke, Theodore. “My Papa’s Waltz.” Making Literature Matter, 4^th ed. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2009. 256. Print.

“Romped.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 05 Feb. 2012. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/romped. Web.

Trends Analysis: E-Commerce Shopping

Wed, 09 May 2012 22:13:33 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell

ACP W131

14 December 2011

Trend Analysis; the Future of Online Retailing

With the age of information technology at our feet, the use of online retailing has peaked in recent years to demonstrate that consumers have begun to swap teeming stores for fast-paced acquisitions using revolutionary e-tailing technology. Global surveys piloted by The Nielsen Company dictate that “over 85 percent of the world’s online population has used the Internet to make a purchase…” (“Nielson Consumer Reports”). Through such a growing ease to the use of online shopping, the nation’s economy has begun to shift out of an era of economic ruin towards a golden age of online vending.

With traditional brick-and-mortar shops undergoing bankruptcy during the late-2000s financial crisis, the use of online shopping has flourished. What does this transition to the use of e-commerce tell us though? Granting it is highly unlikely that brick-and-mortar shops will collapse altogether, it is a possibility that a large number will. By example, a difference of one year in economic crisis (from 2007 to 2008) resulted in a 32 percent increase over the number of bankruptcy filings – an unprecedented amount tallying nearly 1.1 million petitions (“United States Courts”). Statistics such as this surmount to the premise that, through the use of e-tailing, big name retailers, wholesalers, and manufactures may reach their growing target markets with a considerably more cost-effective effective medium. Additionally, the use on online trading has unexpectedly spurred increased use of smartphones – a technology that allows portable phone users to surf the web and, inevitably, make mobile purchases. A symbiotic relationship such as this has skyrocketed smartphone sales and online shopping usage, providing a 28 million unit increase in the number of expected sales of smartphones from 67 million in 2010 to 95 million in 2011 (Brownlow). If sales continue to grow in this nature, the revenue and taxes stimulated from increased market shares in the mobile phone industry should provide a substantial boost to our economy. Additionally, it is expected that, in the next ten years, the United States wireless telecom industry will “create an additional two to three million new jobs… add a cumulative additional $450 billion in GDP… [And] create another $700 billion in consumer surplus” (Entner, and Lewin). This boost, although limited in reference to overall economic growth, provides a clear image that the use and coverage of cellular devices should continue to spiral upwards, ultimately creating a tremendous market for online retailing.

Across corporate America, mobile phone sales have been spiking into tremendous numbers over the past seven years, but do these numbers link themselves to other outside sources? Arguably, the answer to this question is yes. A 2010 social demographics breakdown of popular social media sites Facebook and Twitter introduce the fact that there is roughly 606 million users combined (from both sites), a number which represents an enormous online target market; a market ripe for picking in terms of e-commerce revenue and increases of overall market shares. According to an Infographic produced by Digital Surgeons, 40 percent of the 500 million Facebook users follow a brand, with 51 percent of the brand followers actually purchasing that brand, an outrageous number when looked at. Comparably, Twitter’s 106 million followers generate a 26.5 million follower base that also follows a brand; of these 26.5 million followers, some 67 percent will purchase the specific brand. Additionally, one must take into perspective that roughly 30 percent of Facebook users and 37 percent of Twitter users are logging in via mobile telephone devices (Hepburn). Could these record-breaking figures link social media to the extravagant economic development in the field of electronic retailing? The answer to this question may be taken from a multitude of different sources, all with varying answers; but, this is for certain: economic increase in the use of online shopping has been immensely supported by such top social media sites as Twitter and Facebook. A report by Nielsen Wire commands that, “Estimated online advertising on the top social network and blogging sites increased 119 percent, from approximately $49 million in August 2008 to approximately $108 million in August 2009 – all despite a recession” (“Social Networking and Blog Sites Capture More Internet Time and Advertising). This tremendous increase in online advertising speaks for itself; electronic commerce is a trending topic that surely will bring forth a wake of prosperity to companies willing to dive into its endless pool of resources. Further statistics provided by the Nielsen company show that the entertainment industry alone has experienced an 812 year-over-year percent growth in the estimated money spent on top social networking sites, from $1,097,700 in August 2008 to $10,012,800 in August 2009. Surprisingly, the travel industry has invested copious time, effort, and money into this electronic shopping and advertising buzz as well; shooting from $473,700 in August 2008 to $2,198,200 in August 2009, online advertising has experienced a 364 year-over-year percent growth in the vacation and tourism industry (“Social Networking and Blog Sites Capture More Internet Time and Advertising”). What do all these number means though? It’s simple, America has begun to shift itself from costly brick-and-mortar shops into a cheaper medium, a medium which not only reaches an enormous audience, but one that is relatively cheap to produce and maintain. However, this movement towards the conservation of time, money, and effort may produce some very serious risks; risks such as the loss of jobs and possibly infrastructure may loom in America’s not too distant future.

The potential dangers of electronic commerce are far outweighed by its benefits. This new millennium has clashed with an eruption in the use of the Internet for corporate and commercial purposes. Dot com companies such as eBay and Amazon have pioneered the future of online services. Not to be left out, large retail companies such as Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, and many others have hopped on the train headed straight for commercial plunder. Even the banking industry has been re-revolutionized with major banks such as Chase and financial institutions such as Charles Schwab offering their professional services over the web. In short, companies without a web site are now being considered archaic as the Internet has become enshrined in the minds and hearts of the American peoples. With all this talk of escalating business opportunities, one industry has been overlooked: literature. Across America, big name bookstores are declaring bankruptcy as competition against electronic e-readers and online novels and books have been increasing in use. Will American culture be without paper books and reclusive, relaxing book shops in the all too near future. It’s a great possibility, and it is frightening.

Whether it is the collapse of our brick-and-mortar society, or the flourishing of our internet world, electronic commerce is a trend whose weight is not to be miscalculated. A blooming economy may go only as far as its resources take it, and now, with the use of online shopping, the world’s retail industry will enter a stage of unprecedented growth and expansion, creating more jobs at the cost of a select few industries potential bankruptcies. Is this what we have laid out for ourselves in future generations to come? Absolutely, the information and technology age as we know it shall envelop our economies and shroud the less competitive; creating a utopia of purchasing power that will pave our next generation’s streets with gold.

Works Consulted

Brownlow, Mark. “Smartphone Statistics and Market Share.” Smartphone Sales and Statistics. Email Marketing Reports, November 2011. Web. 11 Dec 2011. http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/wireless-mobile/smartphone-statistics.htm.

35% of US adults owned a smartphone.
At 53%, Android dominates market share for smartphones

Entner, Roger, and David Lewin. “The Impact of the US Wireless Telecom Industry on the US Economy.” Ctia.org. CTIA - The Wireless Association, September 2005. Web. 12 Dec 2011. http://files.ctia.org/pdf/Report_OVUM_Economy.pdf.

3.6million jobs directly and indirectly affected by Telecom Industries
Generated $118 billion in revenue and contributed $92 billion to the US GDP
In 10 years US Wireless industry will add a cumulative addition $450 billion to GDP

Hepburn, Aden. “Infographic: Facebook vs Twitter Demographics.” Digital Buzz. Digital Surgeons, 21 Dec 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/infographic-facebook-vs-twitter-demographics-2010-2011/.

500 million Facebook users; 40% follow a brand; 51% of brand followers will purchase that brand; 30% login via mobile device.
106 million Twitter users; 25% follow a brand; 67% of brand followers will purchase that brand; 37% login via mobile device.

“MarketsandMarkets: By 2015 Global Smartphones Market Worth US$258.9 Billion and Mobile Phone Market Worth US$341.4 Billion.” BizCloud, 17 Feb 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. http://bizcloudnetwork.com/marketsandmarkets-by-2015-global-smartphones-market-worth-us258-9-billion-and-mobile-phone-market-worth-us341-4-billion.

Global handset market expected to reach $341.4 billion by 2015
Apple expected to lead with 25.8% market share (iPhones!)
Smartphone market one of few to survive economic recession

“Mobile Commerce Stats.” Industrial Statistics. Digby, 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. http://www.digby.com/mobile-industry-resources/mobile-industry-statistics/.

Relate the use of mobile phones to the rise in e-commerce.
67% of consumers plan to make a purchase via mobile this holiday season.
27% of smartphone users will use their devices for holiday shopping this year.

“Nielsen Wire.” Social Networking and Blog Sites Capture More Internet Time and Advertising. Nielsen, 24 Sep 2011. Web. 13 Dec 2011.

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/social-networking-and-blog-sites-capture-more-internet-time-and-advertisinga/.

Estimated online advertising spending on top social network … increased 119 percent, from approximately $49 million in August 2008 to $108m in August 2009.
Americans triple time spent on social networking sites.

Schonfeld, Erick. “Forrester Forecast: Online Retail Sales Will Grow to $250 Billion by 2014.” Tech Crunch. Forrester Research, 03/8/2010. Web. 10 December 2011. http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/08/forrester-forecast-online-retail-sales-will-grow-to-250-billion-by-2014/.

Shows upward trend of retail sales from 2009 through 2014.
Five-year forecast states 10% compound annual growth rate through 2014.
E-commerce sales rep. 8% of all retail sales by 2014.

Siwicki, Bill. “One in four U.K. consumers uses a smartphone while shopping, study finds.” Internet Retailer. Mobile Commerce, 11/10/2011. Web. 10 December 2011. http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/11/10/one-four-uk-consumers-uses-smartphone-while-shopping.

24% of U.K. consumers are now using phone to access online shopping websites.
62% of these online shoppers have visited multiple competitive on-line retailers.
40% of these consumers purchased something online while shopping.

“Trends in Online Shopping, a global Nielsen consumer report.” Nielsen Consumer Reports. Nielsen, February 2008. Web. 10 December 2011. http://th.nielsen.com/site/documents/GlobalOnlineShoppingReportFeb08.pdf.

Online shopping figures gain 40% in two years.
Books, clothing, and footwear most popular purchases.
85% of world’s online pop. Has used Internet to make purchases.

U.S. Census Bureau. United States. Retail Trade Sales – Total and E-Commerce by Kind of Business. 2011. Web. http://www.census.gov/eos/www/ebusiness614.htm.

- Lists total sales made in multiple business sectors stemming from 1998 through 2009.

- Highlights uncharted economic growth in electronic shopping and mail-order houses.

- Shows a general upwards trend in purchasing power as years increase.

“2008 Report of Statistics Required by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.” United States Courts. Office of Judges Programs, 2008. Web. 11 Dec 2011. http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/Statistics/BankruptcyStatistics /BAPCPA/2008/2008BAPCPA.pdf.

Lists bankruptcy claims from 2007 to 2010.
Use for comparison of B&M shops to e-shopping (bankruptcy)
1.1 million Bankruptcy petitions (cite).

Works Cited

“Nielsen Wire.” Social Networking and Blog Sites Capture More Internet Time and Advertising. Nielsen, 24 Sep 2011. Web. 13 Dec 2011. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/social-networking-and-blog-sites-capture-more-internet-time-and-advertisinga/.

“2008 Report of Statistics Required by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.” United States Courts. Office of Judges Programs, 2008. Web.

11 Dec 2011. http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/Statistics/BankruptcyStatistics /BAPCPA/2008/2008BAPCPA.pdf

Analytical Summary: Song of Solomon

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Parker Catalano

Genres of Literature, ACP L202

Mrs. Satchwell

28 March 2012

Enlightenment, the Birth of Character

Inside the everyday tangles of existence, in a world painted with racism, escape, and destitution, Toni Morrison brings together the chronicle of a man whose life is given to him not only through the wealth of his upbringing, but in his drive for answers to a mythic family past.

Smeared in a twisted realm of escapism, Song of Solomon delivers an emotionally driven fable about a man whose education is not that of conventional classroom experience, but rather the harsh lessons of the world brought to him through the social distortions of his class.

Incongruences in the history of the Dead family begin to present themselves as Morrison accounts the tale of Milkman’s predecessors, whose pasts are covered in the grime of an unaccepting society showered with racism and hatred. Very early into the novel, the reader begins to develop an understanding that Macon Jr.’s son is an egotistical young man whose relish in the pursuit and accumulation of currency is the sole drive to his developing character. Not only this, but it is learned that Milkman obsesses over the insight of his future, hating to look back on the world and witness the wrongdoings and mishaps that he may one day be leaving behind. A very vivid transcription of this ideology is presented in his youth as he rides to his father’s property unable to see through the front glass of the car, “It was like flying blind and not knowing where [I] was going – just where [I] had been – [that] troubled [me]” (32). Why is it that the protagonist fears so much to go back, to escape into a world in which everything is known but nothing is new? It could quite possibly be his resolve to procure for himself the wealth that his father, and grandfather, had. Not only this, but as a young man, Milkman was highly naïve – believing that money was the exclusive root to happiness and power. However, as the reader establishes an understanding into the mind of Milkman, eccentricities pertaining to his character begin to arise. The fundamentals of Milkman’s personality begin with a very basic, raw human emotion: humiliation. Taking a look into Macon Jr.’s progeny, one begins to see a deep-seeded aura of depreciating self-worth. More closely, Milkman’s feelings toward himself develop into self-loathing and cruelty in the earlier stages of his life. Taken from a direct quote, Jr.’s son states – while gazing into a mirror – that he was “as usual, unimpressed with what he saw… it lacked coherence, a coming together of features into a total self’ (69). This solitary statement should hit the readers with a sense of understanding into what Milkman has truly evolved into, his father – a man of self-abasement, malice, and frugality.

It is this overwhelming sense of greed and self-distortion that leads the story’s protagonist into the underworld of crime – a world plush with misdeeds and inconveniences, but drought with the elements that generate happiness, the elements that lead to the uncovering of positive energy, of self-esteem. It is in this world that Jr.’s son comes to understand his true journey into manhood, his journey that stems from the robbery of his aunt and the incarceration that follows. This escape into the realm of myth, the world of flight and discovery, creates a scenario in which Milkman’s entire being shifts towards the positive. The protagonist’s enlightenment begins with the shame; shame in the actions done to others, but more importantly, the shame in oneself for turning into such a corrupt human being. It is this feeling that opens the eyes of Morrison’s hero, as thoughts swirl within his mind, “something like shame stuck to his skin. Shame at being spread-eagled, fingered, and handcuffed. Shame at having stolen a skeleton, like a kid on a Halloween trick-or-treat prank rather than a grown man making a hit” (209). It is at this point that Milkman’s self-image begins its retreat from the blackness within his heart to the warmth and possibility of knowledge that continually and progressively presents itself. Eventually, the climax of character flourishes as Milkman ascends his climb to the metaphoric pot of gold, a potential escape from the menial workings as an office boy in his father’s empire. As this character-building trek begins its foundation, the reader should notice that Milkman’s attitude towards his rather historic past seems to blossom. It is this bloom that creates the bridge over which understanding crosses; the knowledge that the petty, muted streets that enveloped his childhood were just simple stands in the rope of life. Such a pivot from Milkman’s avaricious pursuit for hidden treasure to a transformation in mentality that leads to the evocative quest for self-understanding creates an unexpected, but subtle, expression of maturation. Such growth in personal development allows Morrison to kink the imperfections of Macon III’s past in order to make headway for the spiritual, emotional, and physical changes that embody his exceptional revolution in character – a revolution that sets the stage for the lessons in life that he eventually unearths as the story progresses.

Whether it is the whimsical comments and ideologies gathered from early childhood, or the malicious philosophies storming inside the minds of Milkman and his cohorts, the reader should expect to find a truly deep character whose actions are not only unpredictable, but often times loaded with emotional symbolism. It is evident that these manipulated characteristics do not define the education traditionally learned in a classroom setting, but rather the street smarts of a young man whose life has been wrought with the struggles of class warfare, racism, and above all, a lack of formal acceptance by those who should have loved him. It is within these pages comes Milkman’s education, an academia replete with hardships, death, and curiosity. These chapters within the Dead family legacy are what tell the story of the protagonist’s life, not the humdrum of research papers and trigonometry questions. Without full understanding of his “book of life,” Macon Jr.’s son would never have succumbed to his full potential; it is within this coming-of-age scenario that Milkman expresses true gratitude for not only his family, but for himself.

Works Cited

Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1977. Print.

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another."

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:46:41 -0400

“The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another.”

- James Matthew Barrie, Sr.

Microtheme on Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:44:26 -0400

Parker Catalano

Mrs. Satchwell, ACP L202

Microtheme #3A – The Journey

29 March 2012

Sexuality, the Vessel of Sin

Woven into the twisted recounting of Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” stands a figure of possible demonic proportions; a man whose mere presence develops into an ominous pit of disgust within the belly of the protagonist, embellishing the landscape with a thickness of trepidation whilst befouling the air with an eerie sense of premature death. Within this novella lies an epic battle of wits between a young girl and a demonized man whose body not only appears to be far older then is claimed, but may be the metaphorical illusion of a fate which we all fear – the fate of isolation and death.

Mirrored within the wickedness that floats below the surface of Arnold Friend lies an eking sense of dread which is explored through the extensively symbolic use of a third person, past tense narration. It is evident that great importance must be drawn from the omniscient style of writing, perhaps it reflects irrevocable doom, but more likely points to the matter that Connie, the protagonist, has faced an inevitable fate. This kismet is the launch point from which the author begins to unravel her insidious tale of a young girl whose sexual flourishing brings with her a predetermined fate, skyrocketing the story into a science-fiction hyperdrive. While the phrase “science-fiction hyperdrive” may seem far-fetched, one must look at the strategies that Oates deploys in her quest to bring terror into the plot. Arnold Friend is an awkwardly fellow whose car seems to drive out of nowhere and is emblazoned with the expression “Man the flying saucers” - a phrase apparently used the year before. He wears sunglasses that conceal his emotions and hobbles upon his boots in an awkward manner - almost as if he had the Devil’s hooves for feet. Oates goes on to depict Arnold with translucent skin, almost as if he had never seen sunlight. Stringed next to these oddities arises the mysterious nature of the man whom he is accompanied by - a figure whom is suggested to be in his upper teens, but has the appearance of a fully grown man whose face is hidden behind a transistor radio. By creating such mysterious variables within her plot, the author effectively creates a sense of dread and assumption which culminate into unequivocal terror. Furthermore, by ending her story with ambiguity, Oates creates a channel through which deeper thought may be explored, potentially augmenting and twisting the fate that may - or may not - have happened to Connie. This entrance into the imagination of the reader is what may be the author’s most effective device in the establishment of horror, for what better way than to create a scenario in which the reader’s minds may wander into the deepest abyss of personal phobias - or for other people, a dead end that leads to nothingness.

Through the creation of a dynamic storyline that inevitably guides the reader into a path of fervid imagination, Oates creates a vivid rendition of a metaphorical meeting between man and devil which leaves the reader shaking. Accompanied by such grand plot twists and tedious attention to detail ambles alongs a shallow character list which forgoes meaningless characters in the unquenchable quest to flourish a highly immature, relatable figure and her meeting with Satan himself. Tying together her intricate plot details, ambiguous character list, and menacing third-person, past tense narration style, Oates walks away with a phenomenal piece of literature guaranteed to raise goosebumps on even the most unshakable of men.

Works Cited

Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Making Literature Matter, 4^th ed. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2009. 1367-1380. Print.