Why we Crave Horror Movies

“Why We Crave Horror Movies”
One of the king’s of horror stories and movies, Stephen King wrote this article, “Why We Crave Horror Movies.” In this article he explains why people today love to watch and give ourselves nightmares. He stated that everyone is mentally ill in our own way, but hide it better than those individuals that have been placed insane asylums. King also using another critic’s thoughts about horror films “they have become today’s form of public lynching, and the lyncher could be anyone and everyone.”
Even though Stephen King uses many different examples of evidence to support his theory that everyone is mentally ill and insane. As well as the reasons why today’s society chooses to continue to watch horror movies to feed their mental illness. Since Stephen King is so well known for written and making such graphic and extreme horror movies. He is an excellent source for information on why he believes everyone maybe mentally ill, but just have not been diagnosed. Since King uses the fact that many people today tell jokes of about a truckload of dead babies versus a truckload of bowling balls. As well as using the example of thoughts that may go through our heads when we were little about are siblings and what we might have wanted to do instead of giving them a hug and a kiss.
However, I do not feel that he has strong logic about his reasoning behind his evidence. I don’t believe you can take a small group of people who chooses to watch horror movies, pronounce them mentally ill, than say everyone in society is the exact same. No, I feel that people today have grown out the illness that King says we have. Especially, thoughts we may have had when we were children, but as we grow up those thoughts and emotions go away. “When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1Corinthians 13:11 NIV

Of Headless Mice and Men

“Of Headless Mice…And Men”
The author of the article “Of Headless Mice…And Men,” describes how he feels on this fast growing issue of human cloning. He also feels that America cannot wait to see how the clones come out to end it, but that we should stop it now. It first began with scientist testing mice and trying to experiment on their embryo to create headless mice. They suggest that cloning mice and animals is only the being. The next thing that scientist will try to clone will be human beings. Once the cloning of humans’ beings the author also than thinks that scientist will try and play god. I believe that no one can be God but God, because he is the only one who can bring life into this world.
I completely agree with the author on ending the experiments on cloning animals and humans. I do understand that some of the scientists are trying to experiment because of health reasons. Such as cloning organs, skin, and body parts for individuals who are on waiting list for those items. However, knowing Americans and how we like to do everything the biggest, strongest, fastest, and the best, cloning headless humans will only be the beginning. Soon after, full size, living, breathing, clones of individual will come as the author stated. Then scientist and everyone else will begin to feel big headed and think they’re gods.
As I stated early, there is only one God and that is God. I also believe that everyone was placed on this earth for a set amount of time. After that time is up, we no longer belong to this earth and therefore don’t live in it. Throughout this article the author uses a balance of facts, logic, and emotions to persuade the reader to understand his point on this issue. I believe that the author wrote this article not just for middle aged adults and senior citizens, but the generation that is in college and in their late 20’s. This truly affects them us all and we should be able to take a stand on this issue based on what we believe.

Movie Rating

“Movie Rating”

            The author of the article, “Do We Really Need Movie Rating?” describes how he feels about movie ratings in today’s society. His main idea throughout the whole article is how movie rating truly affects society and if they truly are working. Are the ratings that movies receive really appropriate for them? The author also states each category of ratings that a movie may receive and when the “X” rated category changed to “NC-17” rated. Today, the author explains how no movie producers or movie cinemas will either make or play movies that are rated “NC-17”, because they would rather not lose money or get a bad name for playing movies that are considered pornographic.

 In the article, the author begins to try and compare the rating of movies and the protesting and banding of books, because of their excessive material that they contain. Personally, I do not feel that you can compare movie ratings to how books are written and protested. The only thing that is similar between the two is that many movies have been made from the idea of a book. I do feel that authors of books should be able to express their selves more excessively, because of the simple fact that people today are more visual, than imagery. Therefore, I do believe that movies shouldn’t be allowed to use as much excessive material being that they are visual. Plus you can make just as good quality movie as a book and still stay in the limits of the rating system that is in place.

            Even though this article is more informative than argumentative article, I do believe that this author was not trying to inform people of my age but rather those individuals who are more educated, and willing to take a stand against this issue. I personally feel at times that movies receive the wrong ratings. However, I do feel ratings are useful, because I know the type of material it may contain. I would also know, whether or not I would allow my child or someone else’s child to watch a particular movie.

Life Is Precious,or Its Not

“Life Is Precious, or It’s Not”

            In the article “Life is Precious, or It’s Not,” the author tries to describe, argue, and persuade his stand on violence in society. He uses the tragic shooting at Columbine High School, to show how it truly affects the young children of today. She also states that, “most Americans believe bloodshed is necessary for preserving our way of life…” (Kingsolver). I believe that this statement is a key sentence in her argument, because it is also a true statement as well. Instead of bloodshed being the last result to do in bad situations, today it has become more of the first and quick solution to solve a “situation” that may arise.

            Although she uses a great deal of emotions and facts throughout the article, she misses some logic in her written. If you notice, most of the emotions that she uses truly affect those individuals who were around Columbine, or have dealt with a bad experience of violence. However, for those of us in America that has not experienced such tragedies. I believe that we may say, “Yes, they are wrong for killing all those people.” But in reality most of us could careless until it happens to us or a close loved one.

The author states that “any parent, who agrees with the author, should get rid of everything that may influence their children to commit violent acts.” I must say that I disagree with this statement, because even if the child has or don’t have that type of influence around them, children will be children. They also have eyes to see the world for themselves and this still may lead to violence around them. Yes removal of items may lower the chances of reacting violently, but I believe a parent who gives their child limits and guide them in the way they should go. Would be all it takes for that child to see that violence is not the only answer.

The Power of Audience

The Power of Audience”

            In the essay titled, “The Power of Audience.” The author describes how audience is very important in your writing. He uses a 6^th grade Spanish class to write books to students in Guatemala. The author also suggests if students learn how to use authentic audience that they will be more excited to write.

            Even though this author is writing toward teachers to show them how to get students excited about assignments. He does not have a clear thesis about what his essay is about until a page or two into the essay. I understand that everyone has a different way of explaining what they’re writing about, but this author does not. He is a very unclear and confused writer from reading his essay. He also skips around in this essay, not keeping a constant thought, which makes it harder for someone to read. As well as understand what he is trying to convey.

            He also has a major issue of lack of evidence and facts to show teachers how to make assignments more interesting. As well as showing how to teach a student to have authentic audience. He establishes that authentic audience is very beneficial for students enjoying the assignment more. However, he misses explaining how to teach having an “authentic audience” to students of that age. I believe that if this author went back over and reread this essay, I think he, himself, would have also been confused.

Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

            In the essay “Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” the author discussing the important issue of race growing up in a racial mix schools. Throughout the essay the author uses different examples of situations that young children have to face every day with their peers at school. She also uses strong facts and life experience to help express her opinion of cultural stereotypes and racial boundaries that take place every day.

            I agree with the author when she uses the psychologist William Cross theory of racial identity. I believe that growing up as a young black child, not knowing your true identity can cause one to easily be lead to follow the more dominant culture that they see every day. There is nothing wrong with following cultures and belief that are dominant in your environment. However, I do feel that it does come a time in everyone life where they must try and find out who they truly are. Not going along with stereotypes and racial boundaries that have been set before; but stand, be an individual, and set the new trend for the rest of society and your culture to follow.

            Near the end of the essay using a very familiar issue that many young black children may encounter while they’re in school, “oh come on, I know you people love to dance.” Some people may have taken this as being the generation of today. On the other hand some could take it as she did in the story, find it being a very racial comment, and start a huge up roar. Being in a school where majority is white, and having white friends, makes it harder to talk to them about situations like this, since they lack experience in this area. They can only use the opportunity as a chance to be good listeners, supporters, and friends. All together, I truly enjoyed this essay because it was an easy read and I was able relate on a personal level.

Three Days to See

Three Days to See

            In the essay of “Three Days to See,” the author Helen Keller elaborates on how she feels so many people in the world take their ability to see for granted.  Then she explains everything that she would do if she gained the gift of sight for three days. In spite of Keller’s disability to see or hear, she was able to write this essay giving the reader a close description of the world that she would love to see.

            Throughout the entirety essay, Keller used emotions to persuade the reader to take another look at their everyday life and see how much they over look and take for granted each and every day. In the essay she used a simple example of taking a walk through the woods to get her point across. On this walk her friend noted that she seen “nothing in particular”. However, Keller who can only go by what she touches can go on the same walk and find many interesting things. She uses herself, which is  a very creditable resource having living her whole life blind, deaf and knowing firsthand how people that have the ability to see take it for granted.     

            After reading this well written essay I began to think about how much I truly take my gift of sight and sound for granted each day as I awaken. I also thought about what it would be like to be blind for three days and how very awkward I would feel. However, in doing this I would gain a great respect and awareness of the blind community, realizing what they go through and wishes for the chance to see. Therefore, I strongly agree with the author Helen Keller how people should no longer take for granted their senses because they could be taken from us any moment.

As They Say, Drugs Kill

They Say, Drugs Kill

            In this article, “As They Say, Drugs Kill” the author describes her personal experience of seeing how drugs at a party can kill someone. Throughout this article the author uses great emotional dialect to draw the audience in to the story. By using certain emotions the author was able to describe to the reader everything that was going through her head while her friend was lying on the kitchen floor dying from drugs. As well as using her emotion to try and persuade the reader not to use drugs so they do not end up like her friend dead, lifeless, and on the floor.

            However, the author does lack a lot of facts and statistics on mushrooms as a drug and how dangerous they are for the individuals who uses them. Yes, I do know that drugs can be very dangerous and have the ability to kill you with one use. I also know that this experience could actually happen in real life with another hard core drug. Since the author does not use any statistics or facts showing that mushrooms can have the same affect as heroin, cocaine, or ecstasy. I also would have thought of this incident as a “freak accident.”

            I believe from personal experience of knowing individuals who have used mushrooms that there is more to this story than what meets the eye. This incident could not have happened unless there was another drug involved that the author did not know about. Or her deceased friend had a chemical imbalance in his body that reacted to the drugs that caused cardiac arrest. However, I do agree with the author when she says,” if this death does not make people change, that will be an even bigger tragedy. “Life is too short and you never know when a night of fun with friends can quickly turn into a night of disaster that will change your life forever!  

Crack and the Box

Crack and the Box

            In the essay of “Crack and the Box,” the author indicates and tries to give evidence that there is a relationship between drug addiction and an addiction to watching television. I believe that the author tries to use very weak personal opinion to persuade the reader to see this relationship as he does. However, I do not believe that there is a relationship between the two.

            Throughout this essay the author lacks an extreme amount of facts, statistics, and creditability to back up his point of view. He never states in the essay a study showing the relationship between the two. The evidence provided was his personal life work, which could have been used as facts if the reply was more than “it makes me feel good.” The only evidence that he tries to use in this essay is the use of emotion for the reader to feel somewhat charismatic for the junkie addicted to crack, trying to beg for a dollar just to get another fix.

                        I believe that the television does not influence people to use or sell drugs, but ones’ curiosity to experience the world in a different way than everyone else. I also believe that it has to deal with the environment that the individual was raised in, not television. Many times people tend to do what they know, what’s familiar to them. So therefore, if drugs are what they know than that is what they may do.

I being raised in a generation that watches television in the morning, throughout the week, and on weekends, have not been influenced by the television to use drugs. My parents did their job raising me, regulating the amount of television I watched, and also explain the difference between fantasy and reality that I seen on “the box.” Because of their time, teaching, and dedication in my life, I am now a young adult in college, off the streets, and not strung out on crack, cocaine, or heroin. Therefore, I disagree with the author of this essay when he says “there is a relationship between drug addictions and watching television.”

Don't Blame the Eater

Don’t Blame the Eater

            In the essay “Don’t Blame the Eater,” the author describes how America has grown to be an extremely over weight and obese nation. He also states how “Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of all new childhood cases of diabetes,” according to the National Institutes of Health. The author tries to blame the fast-food industry for a great deal of America’s obesity issues. All though the author may have strong credibility I believe that he lacks logic about how America really is and that everything cannot be blamed on the fast-food industry but the eaters themselves.

            I believe that every person should have responsibility of their self, what they eat and how much they choose to eat fast-food every day. Especially for those individuals who have children and choose to feed them McDonald’s and Burger King every day because they have become too lazy to fix a healthy meal for their family. I do agree that fast-food is not healthy for someone to eat everyday due to its high calorie count, as well as the serious damages it can have on someone’s health. However, no matter how much McDonald’s, Burger King, and the rest of the fast-food industry advertises across this country and the world, they cannot force anyone to eat any of their food.

            The author is correct about the fast-food restaurants not having calorie charts on their food when you buy it like stores do. However, I do know that the fast-food industry has come together and published a book of every fast-food restaurant across America of the calories of each and every food item. Therefore, the general public has the opportunity to gain a greater knowledge of what they are digesting before they choose to order a value meal. Most of Americans usually choose to ignore this information and blame the fast food industry instead of taking blame for themselves or “the eater” as the author calls it. So I disagree with the author and think that the eater should be blamed for their bad life decisions.