Thornton Academy – AP Language 2018-2019

Bryan Stevenson is a brilliant lawyer. After graduating from law school, he opened the Equal Justice Initiative to defend the poor and condemned in society. Throughout his career, he has the chance to meet many individuals with interesting life stories. He chooses to tell the stories of his clients in his nonfiction book Just Mercy. The book is a way for Stevenson to share his opinion on the legal practice in the States and how mistreating it was. To further emphasize his opinion, he uses different rhetorical devices such as word choices, ethos, and logos within the book.

Firstly, the word choices in his thesis paragraph clearly emphasize his disagreement when it comes to the legal justice system in the U.S. He believes that the system is mistreating the poor and disables, or as he said in the book: “the most vulnerable among us”. Stevenson also constantly uses words with a negative connotation, like “fear” and “anger”, to further stress how injustice the system is. Word choices can make or break a piece of writing, and Bryan Stevenson definitely makes the book.

Secondly, what makes Stevenson’s stories more realistic and credible is his origins – or ethos. He is an influential lawyer who graduated from Harvard Law School. With that being said, he knows what he is writing about. The readers could believe in things he started, for example the different ways to execute a prisoner. As a lawyer, he has to do it every day. Also, the facts he mentioned in the book with specific statistics and years are trustworthy because they can be verified. Without the fact that he was a lawyer, it will be hard for readers to read his book with a serious view because there are details that are too horrendous to be true.

Thirdly, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, logos was used multiple times throughout his story. He states lots of facts and detailed statistics within the stories, from years the event happened to numbers of people involved. This helped increase how trustworthy the book is. It also helps reconfirm his previous statements.

What is K-Drama? Let’s dissect the word: K = Korean and Drama = Drama. Basically, it’s a fictional television series produces in South Korea, stars Korean actors/actresses, uses the Korean language, and airs in South Korea. As Korean culture is getting more and more popular, KDrama is now accessible to everyone who has internet. One can easily find a series on websites such as Netflix, Viki, etc.

Why is it overrated? (Based on my knowledge, K-Drama fans are more mature than K-Pop fans; so please don’t kill me over this one blog). One of my reason is the plot. The plots of rom-com dramas are unbearably cheesy and nonsense. I enjoy films where the storyline actually makes sense. I feel like the random details in Korean series are unnecessary. I can understand that they need enough scenes for a 1-hour episode, but it does not work that way! Another reason is the hype. No matter how bad a drama is, as long as there are good-looking stars in it, the drama will be a success. Fans are willing to spend hours of their youth to stare at the screen to cheer for their favorite actors/actresses. Then they are also willing to go out and promote for the series, which efficiently make everyone else curious. (Now that I think about it, this is a product of great marketing).

Are you sure? Honestly, I don’t know because there are good things to talk about when it comes to K-Drama too. For instance, the actors and actresses in every single movie are gorgeous. I don’t know what they eat to grow up so beautifully, but a little birdy told me that the secret is rice. Sometimes, I endure the cheesy movies so I can fangirl over the actors’ beauty. Not only the people, but the plots of thriller and action series are amazing. They touch on every day’s life matters. By frequently weaving those details in, K-Drama makes the audience feels more relatable than other shows.

In the end of the day, I think it depends on one’s own taste of dramas. Since I’m at it, to whoever is reading my blog, you should check out J-Drama! That’s the real deal!

The Berm is approximately one and a half thousand miles long and built in the 1980’s. It is primarily made of sand and includes land mines and electric fences.This wall was built by the Kingdom of Morocco. It separates Morocco from Western Sahara. In essence, this refers to Moroccan occupied areas and the Polisario occupied areas (since the two warred for 16 years until 1991, but tensions and fighting are still common place).

At first the Polisario movement was against Spanish occupiers, now they believe Morocco is the occupier and must be defeated. The Polisario movement has years of military support from Algeria and the African Union and is recognized only by them as the (self declared) Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. On the Moroccan side of the Berm, cities and tourism have grown, but the Polisario accuse the Moroccans of human rights violations and other crimes. Morocco also maintains a good financial relationship with France, which gives them an upper hand over the Polisario controlled region. The Berm goes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Moroccan mountainside.Today Morocco controls about 80 percent of territory while The Polisario has control of about 20 percent.

If the Berm had never been put in place, Morocco and the Western Sahara may not still be in existence today. Although as mentioned earlier, fighting has continued between the two groups, a physical structure has made all the difference in the possibility for total military destruction, on either side. Equally as important, the Berm acts as a symbolic barrier as well, by maintaining semi-peaceful separation of the different ideologies and viewpoints of the two regions. Allowing coexistence that may not have otherwise been a possibility.

*Disclaimer: The following post may reveal spoilers about “My Best Friend’s Wedding.”

What would you do during a thirteen-hour long flight?

Seasoned travellers usually hand out the advice of taking as many naps as possible; however, in my case, naps on the airplane usually function against my will. I would wake up from my sleep, thinking that the sun just rose, while only one to two hours had passed. It was time for some entertainments. I decided to pick a movie from the romantic comedy section, and “My Best Friend’s Wedding” appealed to my eyes right when I saw it.

In the fewest words, the movie is a failed attempt of a woman who tried to block her best friend’s wedding, as she realized her unprofessed love for him. Nonetheless, her best friend’s fiancee exemplifies the perfect woman for him. After watching the movie, my mind formed plenty of opinions. First and foremost, Julia Roberts exuded her sharpened acting skill through her role as Julianne Potter, the female protagonist. In fact, Roberts has received the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress. Secondly, the movie emphasizes the significance of close friends – trustworthy, helpful confidantes who would show up in good and in bad times. George, her close friend, took a flight to Chicago, where the wedding was, to comfort and to help her recognize realities as Julianne was freaking out. Thirdly, a lesson from “My Best Friend’s Wedding” is that perhaps the opportunities you are looking for are near. However, the movie reminds us all that life is not always a fairy tale; even if you want something so much, you are not immediately entitled to your desired results. Last but not least, be straightforward and be honest, because only more complications would chase you down the road.

Apologizing to children needs to become a more universal practice. It seems it is often assumed that simply because children are younger, less developed, and not as experienced, that they are not deserving of the same respect that they are expected to pay their mentors, parents, or adults in their life. When we are at fault in a situation that involves a child, we need to take responsibility and apologize. We need to account for the fact that we are wrong. It does not matter if they are a teenager or toddler, they deserve your apology.

While children can be absolute idiots, like any of us, they are also intelligent, intellectually and emotionally. They can understand when we apologize to them and process it. We can not pass off the fact that just because we have an advantage on a child in years, that we are always right. This is simply not the case.  

Saying that you are sorry to a child when you are in the wrong does not dumb you down. You are not coddling them by doing this, you are showing them that you respect them, that you care for them. No one of us is perfect. We yell when we do not have to, we make mistakes, we make harsh judgments, we overreact to something seemingly simple because we are having a bad bay. These things are ok. What is not acceptable is refusing to take accountability apologizing to the people we take these things out on, particularly the younger ones.

There seems to be a general consensus that because children are children, we do not have to say sorry, we do not have to tell them that they were right and we were wrong.

Say sorry to your children when you make mistake. Say sorry to your children when you lash out at them in frustration. Take the time to apologize.

On the way home from Immersion Day—a Saturday dedicated to practicing music for youth ensembles of USM—my mom informed me of the need to call my grandfather in order to thank him for Christmas Gifts.  You’re probably thinking, “Shelby, Christmas was more than a month and a half ago”.  You would be right.  And, I have as little reason for not sending the obligatory “Thank  You”s as I do for procrastinating on the majority of my assignments.  (You and I all know that is to say: nothing).

When my grandfather finally did pick up the phone, I attempted to pass off the entire situation as a bit of a joke (something I do in serious situations much too often), and while I should have anticipated my blunt Grandpa to call me out on the situation, I did not.  I was a appropriately shocked when he said, “Calling a month after receiving something from a friend or family member shows that you did not appreciate or care about them enough to make time for such a simple action, while they took the time to buy you a gift.  Whether or not that’s the message you intended, it certainly hurts to receive”.  Shame quickly coursed through me, my mother glancing from the driver’s seat to see a blush clawing its way from my neck

I have been busy.  That is a fact, and to deny it would ignore all that I have attempted to do this year.  However, if I do not use my free time to appreciate those who I care about, then what is the point of all the work I have completed?  Having people to care about is a privilege one needs to respect, and that means being responsible for my words and especially my actions towards others…

There’s my small anecdote, and hopefully you can discern the lesson I have learned from it.  I can’t guarantee it’ll stick–I’m not commonly of the opinion that people change completely, although hopefully this will be one of those instances in which I may grow.  Thank you for the gift and the lesson.