IRB Intro Post #3

For my third IRB book I will be reading Picking Cotton by Jennifier Thompson. The book is about Jennifier's mistake in picking the wrong suspect in a rape crime.

TOW #16 Post (IRB Pt. 2): Bossypants by Tina Fey

  As I continued to read Bossypants by Tina Fey, I saw that a reoccurring strategy was her sense of humor. After all, she is famous for her funny scripts and comedic personality. Throughout the second half of the novel, this strategy was shown vividly in her writing. Tina Fey uses a combination of humor to tell her life story from the beginning to now. Sprinkled throughout the book, humor is used quite effectively by Tina as each one illustrates a life lesson that has turned her into the women she is today. For example, in one of her chapters, she stated, “Some people say, “Never let them see you cry.” I say, if you’re so mad you could just cry, then cry. It terrifies everyone.” With this use of humor, Tina Fey is able to keep the audience intrigued without overdoing the funny elements in the story. Also, she is informing the audience of certain life experiences she has had. She is connecting with them by providing insight on what she thinks is important. With this use of pathos, Fey is able to portray her true purpose: providing necessary life information for the good of her fans. She wants to let people know how she got to where she is, the lessons she has learned, and what she saw as the most important events. With this type of author-reader connection, the book is able to much more than a nonfiction life story; it's a journey explaining the bumps in life and the fascinating truths. Ultimately, this book is a great read especially to those who are infatuated with Tina Fey, like me. Her writing is so heartfelt and laughable that it feels like you were experiencing her life as a background character. Overall, Tina Fey successfully accomplishes her purpose of writing for the audience in a way that shows her experiences in life, and how she got over the tough times. I truly cannot wait for another one of her books to come out. 

TOW #15 (Article): "Hands Up Don't Shoot"

    With the recent events that have taken place in Ferguson, there have been many protests where people raise their hands and say "don't shoot" in front of police officers. The background behind this saying has to do with the shooting of Mike Brown. According to CNN, the forensic pathologist on Mike Brown's case found a bullet that passed through Brown's forearm, shattering parts of his bones and leaving a gaping exit wound. People hoped this would explain the question: "Were his arms raised in surrender when Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson shot him, as some witnesses said? Or would the evidence corroborate Wilson's version of events: that Brown charged him with his left hand balled in a fist and his right in the waistband of his shorts, even as the officer ordered him to stop?" (CNN). After the grand jury found Wilson not guilty, this phrase started to mean something. It symbolizes the unjust and corruptness found in today's system. In fact, when a group of police officers were walking into a Mexican restaurant, an employee raised his hands in an apparent protest of the police; the officers soon left. Jane Rhodes, head of African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago stated, "It's a universal symbol of surrender. It's also a very simple gesture, and that's part of what makes something resonate" (CNN). The article posted by CNN informs the public of how protesting is still going on, and how symbolic and nonviolent the saying is. As noted by several news sources, right after the conviction was heard, a lot of violence was going on, which threatened the lives of many officers. However, this saying allows people to stand up for what they believe in without any violence involved. It shows just how moving this movement is turning out to be due to its symbolic meaning of equal rights for all races.