Drowning in Material: “On Dumpster Diving”—Lars Eighner
In Lars Eighner’s descriptive account on life as a Dumpster Diver, he reviews his experience and the valuables left behind in Dumpsters, exploring the euphemisms attached to his methods. The author elaborates in early paragraphs citing his preference for the word scavenger, seeing it more descriptive of his physical condition. In later paragraphs, he capitalizes Dumpster in order to glorify their existence and highlight his later point of an irrational surplus in American waste. In the last paragraphs Eighner elaborates on the previous points/euphemisms, providing his audience with a tangible philosophy: material surplus is a white elephant draining its possessor; the material obsessions one drowns his/her self in are of less value/shorter lived than mental things: sentiments, etc.. Finally, Eighner drives home his point through a one sentence paragraph—offering his pity to the materially drowned beings who have become lost in their existence, purpose, contentment.
Eighner’s methods and lessons have provided me with reassurance for my mimicking beliefs. Now that I have found someone who shares my ideas and lives in such an existence, I no longer feel like a radical granola. Furthermore, I have more confidence in this type of existence for myself. As Eighner said, I’m not attempting to glamorize an existence detached from material, yet debunk the glamorization of existence in material drowning in American society. The selfish ways of American living is not something one is swayed into being a part—leading to the demise of the planet. Moreover, Americans are hypocrites, we speak of the hunger and impoverished regions of the world, yet we are so consumed in consumption—hidden behind the façades of necessity/survival and the American dream. We go even further, hoarding all of the world’s resources, then having the gull to throw it in a dumpster to be thrown in a massive hill of toxins. Ultimately, American ideologies need to change we are drowning in materialism.
Raw Strength in Profanity- April 24, 2009
In Nancy Mairs’ personal essay On Being a Cripple, the author provides and analytical description of life post MS diagnosis. Mairs employs anecdotes, internal reflection, and humor in order to juxtapose the pros and cons that followed her diagnosis. Mairs uses irony to lighten a given situation. For example, she states “I accept all gifts.” She uses this in response to her misdiagnosis of a brain tumor, replaced with the gift of life—despite the MS packaging. Plus, the writer reasons through her preference in naming her obstacle. She elaborates revealing her preference in being labeled as a cripple, notwithstanding its controversial connotations. Furthermore, explaining its accuracy in definition when compared to other “politically correct” terms.
Traditionally, these words shared a negative connotation—leading to their censorship. Yet, modern thinking has led society to tolerate those who are eccentric. Thus, through embracing the grimaced words, the labeled acquire strength through hatred triumphed. Moreover, by forcing a scowl upon “advanced” society, they are pressured into recognizing the ignorance attached to malignant nature. Therefore, historic prejudice forces tormentors from outdated habits by their own tongue. Ultimately, the mechanism acts as a unapologetic mirror, only enhancing the raw existence of the universal rivals, transforming from victim to human.
March 14, 2009
Have you ever had ideas and subjects presented to you “romantically”? At what stage of your education? What do you remember about these presentations?
Yes, teachers have presented a subject to me in a romantic manner. But, this never fully occurred until I began High School. The teachers who were honestly passionate about the subject inspired me as well. They would engage/excite me because they would just speak bright eyed form the core—no set guidelines or organization.
Whitehead says that schoolmasters “are apt to forget that we are only subordinate elements in the education of a grown man; and that, in their own good time, in later life, our pupils will learn for themselves”(paragraph 9). Do you agree? If so, what is the role of the teacher?
I agree. A teacher’s role is to insure his/her pupil’s ability to analyze, and equip them with basic skills. Teachers can/may attempt to teach them lessons/values/morals, yet the student will never learn or absorb a moral until directly affected through personal experience. Thus, a teacher’s job is solely to equip students with tools to effectively analyze occurrences and familiarize them with the philosophies of others.
Glaciers in the Sahara
In Alfred North Whitehead’s essay “The Rhythmic Claims of Freedom and Discipline,” he writes of the “evil of “barren knowledge.” The author elaborates, later explaining that knowledge is merely a part of wisdom; knowledge consists of facts and the learning of subjects/text-books, where as classically wisdom marked the end of education. Modernly, student’s education has diminished in value. Instead of acquiring wisdom, one is forced into temporary memorization. Despite educators’ intentions—under severe stress to know specifics—one is driven from applying facts to achieving the greater goal. Today’s pupils are “learning” knowledge/facts for only the necessary period. Thus, the knowledge is barren. There isn’t anything except for a short-lived deception that the mirage of education will aid/be remembered in the future. With mass amounts of pressure to achieve worthless memorization, pleasure is absent in the attempted lesson—no intrigue. Without intrigue, desire to absorb the lesson is non-existent. Therefore, there is no nurturing it into wisdom—a product of memorable knowledge. Obviously, the system is extremely faded; without a lasting goal, preceding generations are left with a glacier in the middle of the Sahara Desert. The present version of knowledge is “evil” due to short-cuts that deliberately deceive the young into believing that the education they are receiving will last.
Rhetorical Precis: Rose- February 3, 2009
Rose, Mike. “I Just Wanna Be Average”. Lives on the Boundary. 1989. 316-329.
Mike Rose, in his excerpt from Lives on the Boundary (1989), traces his own experiences in education to examine learning, knowledge, and expectations. He supports his explorations by acquiring an anecdotal tone—implying experience and knowledge—and allusions to appeal the audience’s logos. Additionally, he includes common racial slurs, commonalities/prejudices around private education, and slang dialogue with endearing nicknames appealing to the reader’s pathos. Rose’s purpose is to evaluate his personal history in education in order to ignite the audiences own feelings in education, and unveil obstacles/struggles in education for improvement. He adopts an anecdotal personally reflective tone for current students and those involved in the educational system.
Vocabulary
1.(para.14) salubrious (adjective) promoting health or welfare; healthful, wholesome, salutary, etc.
2.(para.14) equivocal (adjective) that can have one or more interpretation, having two or more meanings; purposely vague, misleading or ambiguous
3.(para.15) laryngectomize (noun) the surgical removal of all or part of the larynx
4. (para.15) platitudinous (adjective) a commonplace or trite remark, esp. one uttered as if it were fresh or original
5. (para.25) suppuration (noun) to form or discharge pus; fester
Rhetorical Strategies
1. Metaphor—“The smile appears forced, unsteady, seems to quaver, though it is frozen in silver nitrate” (para.25).
2. Personification—“My grades stank” (para.32).
3. Slang—“‘I just wanna be average’” (para.15).
Discussion Questions
Clarifying: (para.37) Is Rose from Vermont or is he from Los Angeles?
Style: (para.32) The sentence “Amazing”, is it a fragment with rhetorical purpose or a complete sentence?
Application: Does the Vocational track/education system still exist?
Quotation: “The smile appears forced, unsteady, seems to quaver, though it is frozen in silver nitrate” (para.25).
Rhetorical Precis: Dillard- January 27, 2009
Dillard, Annie. “Terwilliger Bunts One.” The Norton Reader. Ed. Linda H. Peterson, John C. Brereton. 11th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. 151-156.
Annie Dillard, in her memoir Terwilliger Bunts One (1987), demonstrates that opposition is a duty accomplished through constant awareness of surroundings, and a tool to sort people and controversies/events. She demonstrates the value of a characteristic through direct recall of a character by appealing to the audience’s pathos through quotation and experience, appealing to ethos linking to other childhoods through common past events, and appealing to logos breaking down ideas’ logic. Dillard’s purpose is to tell a story of an influential, authentic, and wise person in order to urge improvement through intelligent action and unexpected inquisitiveness. She adopts an inspired prideful tone for an answer seeking and developing audience.
Vocabulary Words
1. (para. 6) tremulously (adverb) trembling, quivering, palpitating
2. (para. 
connoisseurs (noun) a person who has expert knowledge and keen discrimination in some field
3. (para. 16) genially (adverb) cheerful, friendly, and sympathetic; amiable
4. (para. 31) dictum (noun) a formal statement of fact, opinion, principle, etc.
5. (para. 38) cowing (transitive verb) to make timid and submissive by filling with fear or awe; intimidate
Rhetorical Strategies
1. Metaphor—“she would fly at him in a flurry of passion, as a songbird selflessly attacks a big hawk” (para. 37)
2. Allusion—“She was Samson in chains” (para. 29)
3. Alliteration—“…surprising string of syllables” (para. 5)
Discussion Questions
Clarifying: (para. 27) Did the mother receive a college degree or hold a job of high caliber at one point in her life? Style: Why is the story chunked into informal sections by a space? Application: Would the mother’s personality remain different and hold total eccentricity in modern time?
Quotation:“it must have galled her that usually her acquaintances were so predictably unalert; it must have galled her that, for the length of her life, she could surprise everyone so continually, so easily, when she had been the same all along” (para. 18).
