TOW #10: Warning by Jenny Joseph

            The English poet Jenny Joseph attempts to foresee her future of old age as she describes the behaviors and characteristics that may embody who she will become. Her best known poem, Warning, was labeled as UK’s most popular post-war poem years after it came out in 1961. This poem is focused on the options available to the elderly, specifically older ladies, as they begin to age and lose their sensibility. By the use of her bold language and originality of topic, Joseph is successful in displaying her message that old age is not only when behaviors that were once off-limits are explored but also when social pressures that were so heavily forced upon relax.

In honor of Joseph's poem. The famous lines goes: "When I am an old woman,
I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me."

            Joseph begins her poem in a bold contradiction from the clothing she is more familiar with. From wearing more conservative and reserved colors from her youth, Joseph states that when she becomes an old woman, she “shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit [her]” (lines 1-2). Her declaration of self-assertion suggests that this poetry will focus on how the concept of old age follows the tendency to stand in opposition to conformity. The lines that come after precede with an “and” at the beginning: “And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves, And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter” (lines 3-4). This anaphora and parallel structure remains consistent throughout Joseph’s piece. This technique heavily accentuates the verbs, emphasizing the originality of the content that follows. It represents Joseph’s vitality of mind despite the bodily deterioration due to old age. By utilizing these rhetorical devices, Joseph is able to relay her purpose to a wide range of audience, regardless of age. 

IRB #2: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

            When this book came out earlier this year, the overwhelming praises and recognition it got was extraordinary. Often described as an “emotional investment well worth making,” I was drawn to this inspiring story because I am attracted to memoirs revolving around the “last moments” of an individual’s life. I infer that memoirs with this kind of plot focuses mainly on life lessons and morals that are considered essential in achieving ultimate happiness in the limited amount of time that is left. I am ecstatic to read this!

Author and neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi 

TOW #9: Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

            The myriad of short stories written by the American novelist Ernest Hemingway have and continues to influence readers worldwide. The winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize for literature is known for his use of the “iceberg theory” in many of his pieces. This holds true with Hills Like White Elephants, one of Hemingway’s most famous American short stories. The plot revolves around a couple disputing the possibilities of an abortion of their newly conceived child as the girl compares the nearby hills to white elephants. Targeted towards a very select audience, this story serves to teach the significance of consensus in making group decisions.

            Hemingway’s technique of realism in this short story does not only depict authenticity of the couple’s bickering but also give a sense of reality in the global issue of unwanted pregnancy. To relay his purpose, Hemingway imbeds symbolism throughout the plot, furthering the emphasis of the polemic issue of abortion. When the girl questions her worth that roots from her decision to proceed with the operation, she asks her lover, ““But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you’ll like it?” (Hemingway). The white elephants symbolize the burden of the unborn child that may trouble the daily life they had prior to the pregnancy. The girl desires to mend her broken relationship with her boyfriend, but her will to keep her unborn child is a barrier that prevents her and her lover from healing their bond. The guy is not as emotionally invested in the her and she is for him, resulting in the constant clash of opinions regarding her choice on the abortion. Her mentioning of the “white elephants” draws the attention back to the idea of abortion and her divergent desires in contrast to her lover’s.

TOW #8: Part 2 of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

            In continuation after of the first half of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, the final one-hundred-and-fifty pages or so was worth every second. Although this book may not be everyone’s cup of tea due to the research-based commentary that Carson voices, but personally, it was definitely an eye-opener that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is labeled as “the classic that launched the Environmental Movement” for a reason.

            I’ve seen Carson consistently utilize rhetorical questions with obvious answers to develop her “matter-of-fact” tone to her narration. By doing this, she emphasizes the urgency of eradicating the use of poisons in insecticides such as DDT. In an attempt to encourage the public to become more concerned with the delayed detriments of the effects of pesticides, Carson asks rhetorical questions that are directed towards the audience: “Can he escape a pollution that is now so thoroughly distributed throughout our world?” (Carson 188). With this question, she solidifies her position in the argument, convincing her readers to view beyond quick conveniences and see the moral flaws and possible further deterioration of the environment through human casualties. Her utilization of rhetorical questions not only unconsciously raise guilt within the readers but also scrutinize the irony between man’s claim of being one with nature and their reckless actions taken towards the supposed “enhancement” of the environment.

            By finishing Carson’s revered book, I personally felt the need to contribute to the preservation of nature. Since it is known to have established the start to the environmental movement, Carson’s use of rhetorical devices was and continues to be effective in achieving her purpose.