The passage below is from Last Child in the Woods (2008) by Richard Louv. Read the passage carefully. Then, in
a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies Louv uses to develop his argument about the separation
between people and nature. Support your analysis with specific references to the text.
Here is a link to the passage. Before you go to the passage, think through the prompt. Also provided are some examples. WRITE YOUR ESSAY BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE SAMPLES. Looking at the samples first will ruin your chance of learning something from this exercise. It is not about getting it right on the blog, it is about putting forth the effort and being willing to fail so that you can learn what to do better.
https://www.cusd80.com/cms/lib/AZ01001175/Centricity/Domain/6369/Last%20Child%20in%20the%20Woods%20Prompt.pdf
Samples
1. Read and analyze prompt
2. Write essay
3. Read samples
4. Rate your own essay from 0-9 at the end of the essay
5. Analyze the essay of two classmates and give them a score. Be specific about something they did well and something they did not do well. Try to choose a classmate whose essay has not been commented on so that everyone's essay is analyzed at least by one fellow student.
In his work titled “Lost Child in the Woods”, Richard Louv uses a variety of rhetorical strategies to develop his argument about the separation of people and nature. By including a extreme example of how people wish to use nature, and a nostalgic story to draw people’s appreciation to nature, Louv effectively gives an argument on the importance of appreciating nature.
ReplyDeleteTo create interest in the reader, Louv first includes an extreme story that branches off of an experiment that was conducted by students at the State University of New York at Buffalo in which students were testing ways to determine the color of butterfly wings through genetic modification. Writer Matt Richtel responded by proposing “There are countless possibilities for moving ads out of the virtual world and into the real one. Sponsorship-wise, it’s time for nature to carry its weight,” inferring that nature should carry advertisements. This shocking statement leads readers to want to defend nature and realize that it should not be synthesized and forced to be brought into the culture of advertisement led by humans. This opening story intrigues the reader and may make them indignant.
To further state his argument, Louv uses the example of children looking out of the window of a car rather than a television screen in front of them. Louv uses specific examples that play on imagery by making statements where he describes scenery such as “the empty farmhouse at the edge of the subdivision; the variety of architecture, here and there; the woods and fields and water beyond the seamy edges — all that was and is still available to the eye. This was the landscape that we watched as children. It was our drive-by movie.” The descriptions that Louv gives of the childhood experience of looking out the window of the car bring nostalgic feelings to the reader and create a sense of importance for future generations to experience the same thing in the reader. To further reach into pathos and bring up memories of adults riding in the car as a child, Louv concludes with a quote from an adult direction to the children of the time describing the respect they had for nature by looking out the window. He concludes by saying “we considered the past and dreamed of the future, and watched it all go by in the blink of an eye,” to further play on the emotions of the reader.
Louv effectively makes an argument on how far the culture of advertisement and technology has gone and what it has and will continue to do future generations as far as respect for nature goes. He begins by first detailing the potential of even one of nature delicacy’s, the butterfly, to soon be branded with advertisements as a result of today’s culture. To bring the argument to a close, Louv uses the image of a child looking out the window to play on pathos and incur feelings of nostalgia in the readers. These strategies create an effective argument on the separation between nature and people.
I think your rhetorical analysis is deserving of at least a 6. I liked the vocabulary that you used and you did well using the quotes from the text and showing where your statements were heading. But it doesn't look like you specifically talked about his authority as a writer which is another important part of writing.
DeleteI would give you a 6. My only piece of advice is to be careful of staying too close to the piece itself. You want to focus more on the effect of the words, not the words themselves.
DeleteBailey, I would give your essay a 6 or 7. You did good bringing in information from the text and you did a good job explaining it in an organized way. After reading Bruce’s comment, I can agree that I focus more on the words than the actual meaning as well. Therefore, I think we can both take something from his comment. You could have included more rhetorical strategies but other than that you did very good!
DeleteI would give you essay a 7. You, like Chris said, did not bring in ethos, but you did describe the strategies the author used.
DeleteI would give my own essay a score of a 5 as I feel that I have improved on adding examples from the text, but probably should have drawn one or more points from the text.
ReplyDeleteLouv wrote this book back in 2008 criticizing the change from nature to synthesis. And it has only gotten worse in the following 11 years. More now than ever, children are learning about the outside world through technology, rather than actually going outside into the world themselves. One could say that Louv predicted this years ago with the release of this book, and he was right. He brought up a message that carried weight at the beginning of the change, and that still does now in the thick of it. And he used strategies in his writing to make his message stand out and resound through the years.
ReplyDeleteHe started off the passage with a scientific experiment where researchers are using science to provide the color of a butterfly’s wings. This already shows the implications of this change in the actual world, beyond the perceived world which has also changed. He also mentions business and ad companies using nature to sell their stuff. This ties the whole rest of his message into the real world where there are businesses and people that work behind the scenes to influence everyone’s lives. He shows the importance of his message in the beginning and makes the reader want to learn about how this may be affecting them.
He then brings in a personal experience of his friend buying a car. This friend surprised the car salesman that she did not want to buy a car that had a television in the back for her daughter. She knew that having a monitor in the back would take away from her daughter’s ability to see the world from the backseat and to learn something from it. She showed a view that has been more forgotten today. Where parents give their far too young kids a tablet or a phone to keep them busy, when they really should be learning about the world rather than yelling at other kids who beat them on the Xbox. This shows the personal touch needed to actually get the reader to see that this affects their everyday life, that it is not some distant change, but one that is happening in their own life.
Throughout the excerpt, the author built his own authority by how he spoke and how he used his examples. He showed his use of knowledge in the beginning when he mentioned the scientists and the butterflies. He showed that he researched his topic and the physical world that is being changed. He then showed his person in his friend. He showed that he has friends that think for themselves and this shows that he too most probably thinks for himself. Having a self thinker for an author about his topic in particular shows that he recognizes the change in the world around him and that he is trying to show others this change instead of being sucked into it. He shows that he is writing for the reader, not for himself.
Louv wrote about this topic 11 years ago and it is still a relevant argument. This alone shows the great nature of his writing. But along with that, he also showed it with his use and implementation of his personal experiences, his knowledgeable research, and his own person. He is clearly a good author that managed to get a timeless message across, and for that, he should be remembered.
I'll say mine is about a 5. I show some good separation of the topics but was not overly clear and straightforward with the topic I was on.
DeleteI will agree with you on the 5 and I will say the same thing I said to Bailey, though it is more evident in your essay. Do be careful of just retelling the original piece. I guess it is kind of like grass. You can tell me every little thing about each individual blade of grass, but none of it makes a difference if you don't talk about their roots and how they meld together. It's the roots that matter.
DeleteChris, I'm going to have to give you a 3 or a 4. I feel you lost the whole purpose of his essay when you stated "criticizing the change from nature to synthesis" because it simply isn't true. He was criticizing the separation between people and nature because of new technological innovations that are being added to the car, thus causing children to pay attention to them rather than the landscape just outside the car window. I have to say that you did really well when it comes to going throughout the paper analyzing it systematically so that your paragraphs match up with Louv's essay.
DeleteRichard Louv wrote an excellent piece detailing how humans and nature have drifted apart. This is done through numerous ways including citing other sources and retelling stories from his own childhood.
ReplyDeleteLouv’s first move is to bring up a piece about gene modification of butterflies. This is a very powerful move as already gene modification is frowned upon. The point also has a dual meaning. He emphasises the point of using nature for advertisement, but he also subtly makes the point of saying genetically modifying nature for our entertainment is wrong. This does a very good job of setting up the rest of the essay with a compound point of logic and emotion.
Louv’s sentence structure also suggests he is talking directly to the reader. At first glance, it seems he uses sentence fragments and other inconsistencies to form an arbitrary connection, but upon further inspection, one only has to read the first paragraph to be able to “hear” him talking. His writing style is very personal and therefore very relatable. This is only supported more by his telling of stories and suggesting that “Perhaps we’ll someday…” Even his use of conjunctions, usually frowned upon in professional writing, is an effective tool to draw the reader in. Richard Louv’s style of writing is the strongest component of this piece.
For the reader in 2019, almost all of the imagery used in the piece invokes a sense of nostalgia. On top of the two previous points made, this brings the piece together. The reader is able to remember their childhood while at the same time looking forward and reminiscing of a time that does not yet exist. Louv does a phenomenal job of executing this skill, one that does not come easily, if at all.
This piece is only held together by Louv’s love of the present and his reminiscing of the past and future. Even more, he is able to make the reader share in these feelings, something that is immensely uncommon in writing. It is Louv that brings the piece together, not the evidence he presents.
I think I would give myself a solid 6. I think I hit some of the deeper points of the piece in a way unique enough to stand out just a bit.
DeleteBruce, I'd have to agree with you on the 6. There is a clear parallel between your analysis and mine, but I like your clear and concise format and your stylistic difference because of how unique it is. The only issue I have with yours is that it lacks specific quotations, which is required for a 7, 8, and 9 on this essay if I remember properly. Overall, your analysis is well done in a concise way and a unique style.
DeleteThe growing disconnect between humanity and nature has grown at an alarming pace within the past twenty years due to new technological innovations. Richard Louv points out by citing Matt Richtel, an advertising specialist, that the rift between humans and nature has grown so severe that it has created a stark contrast between the two, thus creating a new advertising medium in synthetic nature because of this stark contrast. But, Louv disagrees with this synthetic nature because it does not hold the same impact as the real natural landscape, which is indicated in his statement "the extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of “true” nature— the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at."
ReplyDeleteLouv continues on to address that the greatest relationship held between nature and yourself is "within an automobile looking out." He does so by using the word "our" to include himself and the rest of humanity because, for the most part, everyone has some form of automobile or high speed transportation that allows people to veer out the window until you reach your destination. However, even the sacredness of this childhood act has been penetrated by the new technological innovation of the "multimedia entertainment products," which Louv establishes from an anecdote of his friend, thus establishing the severity of this epidemic. Louv then addresses his audience, the adults that control whether or not to get this feature, by creating a parallel between these products and fuzzy dice when stating "is the hottest add-on since rearview mirror fuzzy dice," thus highlighting the severity by relating it to the epidemic of fuzzy dice in the past.
Louv theorizes that this product's target market is the "parents who will pay a premium for a little backseat peace," but then begins his refutatio by addressing the irony because the same parents that buy these product are also the parents that "want their children to watch less TV." He does so in a rhetorical question followed by another rhetorical question asking why people "no longer consider the physical world worth watching." Which he goes on the offense to establish that the products aren't necessary and the importance of the ability to look out the window because it is where the "children's early understanding of how cities and nature fit together." Where he then speaks of picturesque scenes that his audience and himself can relate to, which is indicated by his use of "we" and "our" in his third paragraph's conclusion. He then continues on to relate to his audience by telling them "we'll someday tell our grandchildren stories about our version of the nineteenth-century Conestoga wagon," thus causing his audience to reminisce on stories from their grandparents and how foreign it seemed to them when they were young whilst creating alarm because if his prediction became true then their children and grandchildren would no longer share the same connection with nature that the audience currently feels. Louv then concludes with a picturesque paragraph that the audience can relate to and highlights the word "we" an ample amount of times so the reader can feel what it is like to be in their grandparents shoes in the memories that they had just been reminiscing on.
I'd have to guess that my essay is between a 5 and a 6.
Logan, I would give your essay a 6 because you used good examples from the text and made very good points. I like how you mentioned how he used “we” and “our” to relate to his audience. An improvement could be more information and better organization. You did a good job this week!
DeleteI give your essay a 6/7. After reading your blog, I was able to get a better understanding myself, and I agree with Emily, the mentioning of “we” and “us” was a great touch. Though, I do feel as if you could have concluded your essay better by wrapping up all of your points.
DeleteRichard Louv’s argumentative work, “Lost Child in the Woods”, uses various rhetorical strategies to shape the powerful argument about the separation of people and nature. Louv uses many examples as well as allegories in order to prove his argument and helps his audience view nature in a different way.
ReplyDeleteHe uses logic to assure the audience that he has clear evidence. He begins his argument with an allegory that stems from of an experiment that was conducted by students at the State University of New York at Buffalo that tested ways to determine the color of butterfly wings through genetic modification. The experiment led writer Matt Richtel to conjure a brave new advertising medium: “There are countless possibilities for moving ads out of the virtual world and into the real one. Sponsorship-wise, it’s time for nature to carry its weight.” This leads the reader into wanting to defend nature and opens their eyes to the real world of advertisement. By opening his argument with this, he attracts the audience and affectively argues his point.
He uses his friends experience to add more logic to his argument. He explains that his friend purchased a Mercedes SUV, with a Global Positioning System that allowed her to tap her destination and take her to it. The salesman’s jaw dropped when she said they didn’t want a backseat television monitor for her daughter. He almost refused to let her leave the dealership until he could understand why. Rear-seat and in-dash multimedia entertainment products, are quickly becoming the best add-ons since rearview mirrors.
He uses the powerful rhetorical question of, “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the 45 opportunities for them to watch it,” in order to give credibility to the people and further strengthen his argument. He asks why so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching and proves why they are wrong. He then creates a sense of thankfulness when he describes the true beauty of nature. “The highway’s edges may not be postcard perfect. But for a century, children’s early understanding of how cities and 50 nature fit together was gained from the backseat: the empty farmhouse at the edge of the subdivision; the variety of architecture, here and there; the woods and fields and water beyond the seamy edges — all that was and is still available to the eye. This was the
55 landscape that we watched as children. It was our drive-by movie.” By saying this he gives credibility to parents, urging they to allow their children to see the true beauty of the world just as they did when they were young.
Louv argues that advertisements and new technologies have ultimately changed the future generations view on nature. These rhetorical strategies helped Louv create an effective argument on the separation between nature and people.
This is really well done, Emily! You show a wide understanding of rhetorical devices, which is great! After reading the samples and seeing such a strong opening from the first one, I would suggest to you (and myself) to maybe try to create stronger introductions before getting into the meat of the essay. Overall, I would give your analysis a 7.
DeleteI would give my essay a 5 because I gave good examples from the text, however, it could have been more organized and I could have used better vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteRichard Louv created “Lost Child In The Woods” in 2008. Richard Louv uses the rhetorical appeals and rhetorical strategies throughout his work. Louv uses specific examples to show the specific examples of nature and the changing goals in the recent years towards nature. Richard Louv’s work shows excellent examples to make his points evident.
ReplyDeleteRichard Louv uses the rhetorical appeal of ethos throughout his work. He talks about his own experience with nature, stating, “We stared with a kind of reverence at the horizon, as thunderheads and dancing rain moved with us. We held our little plastic cars against the glass and pretended that they, too, were racing toward some unknown destination” (Lines 68-71). He also uses others work to show that he has done extensive research on the topic of nature. He uses people like Matt Richtel and Elaine Brooks. The use of ethos in both his own experience and the experience of others allows to show the extent of the growing issue at hand.
Richard Louv, in the same way, uses the rhetorical appeal of logos. He quotes a passage from Matt Richtel, “There are countless possibilities for moving ads out of the virtual world and into the real one. Sponsorship-wise, it’s time for nature to carry its weight” (Lines 6-9). He also writes about research at the State University of New York about how technologies like CRISPER is coming into effect to change the color of even butterfly wings. Nature is evolving with technology, so why not go out and see? He also mentions Elaine Brooks and her experience with cars that have televisions within them and how children are not appreciating nature itself. They only see the television instead of reality.
By using his own experiences, Richard Louv forces the reader to think about the past. Louv states, “Perhaps we’ll someday tell our grandchildren stories about our version of the nineteenth-century Conestoga wagon. “You did what?” they’ll ask. “Yes,” we’ll say, “it’s true. We actually looked out the car window” (Lines 57-62). He continues by making the reader remember, “In our useful boredom, we used our fingers to draw pictures on fogged glass as we watched telephone poles tick by. We saw birds on the wires and combines in the fields. We were fascinated with roadkill, and we counted cows and horses and coyotes and shaving-cream signs” (Lines 62-67). This builds the piece to be nostalgic and forces the reader to remember the times they would, too, go on road trips.
Richard Louv’s piece shows the importance of nature in today’s world. Louv also pushes the reader to remember the past and where the importance of looking beyond the screen of present day technology. Richard Louv successfully used the rhetorical appeals throughout his work. “We considered the past and dreamed of the future, and watched it all go by in the blink of an eye” (Lines 72-73).
I think I would give myself a 4-5. I hit the points of logos, pathos, ethos, however, I feel that it was not well constructed.
DeleteI would give this a 5. It is extremely close to a 6. You used a lot of quotes, but I would suggest not breaking it down to just ethos, pathos, and logos.
DeleteJust as Jacob said, you used a lot of quotations and sometimes that can make it seem like only half the blog is written by you if that makes sense. Other than that you did a good job. I would give you a 5 or 6.
DeleteStephen
DeleteRichard Louv used Last Child in the Woods to describe the disconnection the the younger generation has from society. Louv uses different rhetorical strategies through the piece to establish his point. The main strategy the he used was the rhetorical question. He made a strong argument for his claims on why children need to be more involved in their environment.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening paragraph Louv states a quote from Richtel Culturally saying, “ The sheer popularity demands that we acknowledge, even respect, their cultural importance.” Louv responds to this quote by using a guide from Elaine Brooks, “ often occurs within an automobile looking out.” The use of their knowledge helps support Louv’s ideas with more logic. It shows that others support his ideas and agree that the youth need to be more involved in the environment. He continually adds other peoples thoughts into the article to show the support for his claim.
Louv also uses rhetorical questions to add support to his ideas. Throughout the second half he adds numerous different questions. This leaves the reader to think about the topic. This helps the reader wonder what can be done to fix the issue. He takes these questions and adds detail to them. He says, “The highway’s edges may not be postcard perfect.” How can this issues be fixed? The reader has taken from the article that from the car children can understand the beauty of nature from the backseat. To ensure children understanding of nature these roads need to be cleaned. Louv ends his story giving the reader a lot to think about what to do to make a difference.
Louv makes the claim that children are falling away from nature. He shows that others show support for his idea by adding quotes from other people. He also uses rhetorical questions to allow the reader to think deeper about the issue and to force the reader to go and change something. The reader walks away, after reading this, has a different understanding of just how important nature is. What is of the future if man continues on the path that it is on?
I would give this a 4. I only covered to strategies and did not give a lot support to them.
This is good, Jacob. You took a different angle than I did, which made this really interesting for me to read! I might suggest adding one or more strategies to it. Overall, I would give this a 5 or a 6.
DeleteJacob, I think you did a great job on your blog. You had plenty of quotes within your blog and you picked up on things I really was not even thinking about. The only thing I would say is that if you delved in deeper into more rhetorical strategies and appeals, it could support your essay better. I would give you a 5, great job.
DeleteJake this is good. I would give you a 5 because you showed a new angle as Bailey said. Yes it was short, but it was well written and to the point. I like that.
DeleteIn author Richard Louv’s most famous work titled, “Last Child in the Woods,” he explains the phenomenon of the ever-growing separation of people and nature. In a multitude of strategies, Louv develops his argument: current events, anecdotes, rhetorical questions, and historical examples. In a passage of only 73 lines, Louv is able to concisely develop his argument of the relationship between people and nature.
ReplyDeleteLouv introduces his argument by discussing a recent, at that time, experiment that was conducted at the State University of New York about genetically affecting butterflies. This discovery meant that there was a possibility of using animals as real life advertisements in the business world. Louv, however, disagrees with such an idea by saying, “But the logical extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of “true” nature— the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at.“ Louv believes that there is no possibility of scientists manipulating nature into being advertisements for large corporations. Moreover, even the thought of synthetic nature furthers Louv’s argument of the growing rift between man and nature.
Louv uses an anecdote as a strategy for the audience to relate to the topic. In the anecdote, Louv explains that his friend was pressured by a salesperson to purchase a vehicle with backseat televisions in order to keep her children occupied. Louv wrote of her experience, “The salesman’s jaw dropped when I said I didn’t want a backseat television monitor for my daughter.” The main target of these television screens are “parents who will to pay premium for a little backseat peace.” By using an example of his friend purchasing a vehicle, the argument seems more personal than if he were to discuss vehicles with backseat televisions.
To conclude his argument, Louv uses a past example of when he was growing up and what he did while riding in cars. He explains that when he was growing up, he would look outside the window and be fascinated by everything the vehicle passed. As he recalls, “We were fascinated with roadkill, and we counted cows and horses and coyotes and shaving-cream signs...” Louv firmly believes that he learned while riding in cars and staring out the window. However, parents are succumbing to the child’s “needs” of a television in the backseat. Louv highlights the irony of the current relationship between people and nature by primarily using the example of children in backseat of vehicles.
Gabe I this is pretty good. I would give it a 6 or a 7 because of the way you used quotes and expanded apon your reasons with those quotes. It was to the point and we’ll put together.
DeleteI would give your essay a 6. I agree with Grace about your use of quotes. I think what could really help your argument would be explaining some more rhetorical strategies.
DeleteGabe, you did a great job on this analysis. It flows incredibly well and the diction you used is upper level. I’d give this a 7 or 8. One of the only things that might need improved is the concluding sentence. Very well done!
Delete-Regis
Even though this is after the previous comments, I would give myself a 6 but nothing better. I did not quite elaborate as much as I should on some of my points and I could have mentioned more strategies.
DeleteRichard Louv wrote a beautiful piece that displays how humans and nature have been separating. Throughout the piece, Richard uses various rhetorical strategies to further his claim. He shows his passion for this topic throughout the whole essay. Louv starts out his peace by talking about logistics. He pointed out the gene modification and how many people frown upon this practice. He also shows his passion towards his research and that makes the reader feel the emotion.
ReplyDeleteLetting the audience feel his passion and knowledge they start to believe him and thus establishes his credibility. When he starts to establish his ethos he makes the writing personal. He brings a story of his friend into picture and tells a story about how she didn’t want to get a television in the back of her car so her daughter wouldn’t be distracted and could see the world while she is driving. Many people don’t think this way and allow their kids to get insulted in technology. It causes other health issues as an aside. The kids tells us that kids these days are not experiencing the world through their eyes but through screens.
Richard Louv uses he rhetorical strategies to show that it is important for nature and the world to stay connected. He logically explains that we can not take advantage of the world and the creatures in it like the butterflies. He tells us that people need to protect, enjoy, and care for the world. When he finishes his piece with the child looking out the window it displays get power and tremendous emotions. The essay done by Mr. Louv used many different rhetorical strategies to develop a beautiful work.
I would give myself a 4 because I did not expand on my reasons and on the strategies I picked enough.
DeleteBenny, I think you did a great job on your whole essay so I think you deserve a 5 or a 6. You did a great job of pointing out and explaining rhetorical strategies. My suggestion is just maybe making it a little longer.
DeleteI would give you a 5. Again it needs to be longer, but you did explain it well.
DeleteRichard Louv beautifully demonstrated the recent division of nature and people in his 2008 Last Child in the Woods. He uses several rhetorical strategies to support his claim throughout the story. Even from the beginning in his introduction, Louv gives perfect examples of how technology has been playing such a huge role in the separation. Louv explains how researchers have gone so far that they are now trying to physically change the color of butterfly wings. The examples that he gives dramatically strengthen his argument and help him establish his ethos. He also uses a hint of logic in the introduction when he explains that, “the logical extensions of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of ‘true’ nature—the certainty that’s it’s not even worth looking at.”
ReplyDeleteOne of the most useful methods that Louv used was giving real life examples that the reader could relate to and understand. He retold a story of how his friend decided not to add “rear-seat and in-dash multimedia entertainment products” to her new luxury car. The point he most heavily focused was the fact that the salesman was completely shocked by her decision. Although he knows that most people would have picked the entertainment system to have some peace in the car, he wants his readers to question themselves. He knows that they probably say that they want their children to watch less TV, while they also make it increasingly easier for them to watch it. By telling an understandable story relating to the separation, Louv was able to prove that people do not believe that nature is worth the attention that it used be given by backseat riders.
The most effective method that Louv uses is touching on the pathos of the reader. He talks about the “good old days” that everyone can relate to of the simplicity of just looking out the backseat window. He uses the nostalgia of the reader when he provides examples like watching animals out the window and drawing pictures on the fogged glass. Richard Louv does an exemplary job of presenting the division of nature and people.
I think I would give myself about a 5. I think I used good examples from the text but I definitely think I could have expanded more and been a bit more analytical.
DeleteCarly, I thought your analysis was very good and I would probably give your analysis a 6. I agree with you in that you could have been a bit more analytical. However, I think you did a great job with what you did point out such as the pathos and the way the anecdote encourages readers to question themselves. Overall, great job.
DeleteI thought your essay was a 6. I thought your examples were good. Especially how the author related to “the good old days”. However, I believe you could have added more.
DeleteNature and humanity are interconnected. Nature influences and impacts almost every aspect of daily human life, as it has done since the beginning of time. Humans have always relied on nature, and that reliance will not change no matter how the present changes. However, there is an increasing separation of people and nature, an issue Richard Louv illustrates with his passage from, Last Child in the Woods.”
ReplyDeleteLouv begins the passage with a detailed explanation of a scientific experiment that is able to alter the colors in butterfly wings. The account shows just how drastically humans affect nature and its processes. Louv then builds off this idea, showing other examples of how humans affect the environment, such as, “Advertisers already stamp their messages into the wet sands of public beaches. Cash- strapped municipalities hope corporations agree to affix their company logo on parks in exchange for dollars to keep the public spaces maintained.”
Louv then transitions into an anecdote from a friend who had gone car shopping. To the utter confusion of the car salesman, the one purchasing the car had chosen to forgo the backseat television screen. The popularity of this product is apparent with the words, “Rear-seat and in-dash “multimedia entertainment products,” as they are called, are quickly becoming the hottest add-on since rearview mirror fuzzy dice.” This anecdote illustrates how caught up in the media society has become, and this is causing nature to become almost obsolete in the generation that the media is affecting most- children.
Louv then illustrates the irony of the situation of parents using the media to make their kids more “manageable” by saying, “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the opportunities for them to watch it?” He uses further rhetorical questions to further exemplify the irony and to draw attention the the issue. Louv then finished out the passage using pronouns such as “we” and “us” as one final strategy draw the audience in and connect them to his argument.
Richard Louv effectively captures and illustrates the problem of the widening separation of people and nature. His passage is eye-opening and shows the progression of the separation of people and nature over the decades as he reflects the past as well as the present. Louv’s argument is one of great importance and continues to hold relevance for the people of today as well as the people of tomorrow.
I would give my analysis a 5. I believe that I could have gone more in depth into the strategies Louv used throughout the piece and summarized his words a little less.
I would give yours a 5 or so. I like how well you used quotes from the piece and you showed each in a good way. But I think you could have just mentioned more specifically the strategies in place within each segment. It was good but the separate paragraphs seemed rather similar.
DeleteAuthor Richard Louv wrote a piece titled Last Child in the Woods in 2008 that was able to show the separation of people and nature in modern times. He includes a varying due of rhetorical strategies to get his point across and many personal and relatable stories and ideas to increase the audiences interest in the piece.
ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning, Louv was able to catch readers attention with a small story and examples of the “corruption” that technology has created between humans and nature. He explains a new genetic technology that is able to change the color of butterfly wings, in which there is no need for because of the bright and beautiful colors butterflies already posses. Using this story and the hard facts given, he greatly establishes his ethos and logos. He then moved on to advertisements and the new and upcoming ways to get products, companies, and ideas across. He says that some companies have even stamp logos and messages in sands at beaches, which is still true today as it can be seen at many public beaches across the U.S. Moving forward on more information with advertisers, many groups hope that money is in return for stamping messages on sand, parks, and other public destinations. Louv makes it a point by basically saying that people are only in it for the money and not for the final outcome or feeling of achievement after the fact.
He furthers his argument by adding pathos and using relatable stories about his friends and family members. His very good friend was buying a luxury car, and was opposed to purchasing the vehicle with rear seats and entertainment and media and the sales person was in complete shock by this decision. He wanted the readers to understand that you do not need the best and full package of something to be happy with a new purchase. He then finally speaks on the topic of parents wanting their children to watch less and less television. He inserts a great amount of rhetorical questions when talking on this topic like “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand opportunities for them to watch it?”
Through all of the mentioned rhetorical strategies, and more, Richard Louv is able take on the issue of the separation of humans and nature. He is able to capture the attention of many, and what is very important is that this essay still applies to today.
I would give my essay a 5 or 6. I believe I could have elaborated more on some points and could have used more direct quotes from the text.
DeleteEllie, I’d give this a 5/6 as well. You did a great job incorporating information from the passage that was provided. This could definitely be improved by making sure all the sentences flow nicely as is is read.
Delete-Regis
Ellie, I would give your rhetorical analysis a 6. You covered many of the rhetorical strategies used throughout the passage. Next time you could include just a few more direct quotes with line references to boost your rating! Overall, I enjoyed reading your piece! Great job!
DeleteIn 2008, Richard Louv write a piece called, Last Child in the Woods, about how people have begin to separate themselves from the nature they once embraced. He uses personal stories, descriptive language, and appealing to nostalgia, makes this piece one to remember.
ReplyDeleteLouv uses personal stories in order to show how dependent people are on technology. Louv recalls the story of an acquaintance purchasing a car. The acquaintance did not want a television screen in the back, a request that flabbergasted the car dealer. This story demonstrates how depended people have become on technology, that they cannot even imagine spending a car ride without a screen. This is an excellent story to make Louv’s point, as it is a common experience (buying a car) that most people can relate too. This personal story shows Louvs point, that people have become too dependent on technology, while relating to the audience.
Descriptive language also helping endear the reader to Louvs argument. By using words and phrases like “postcard perfect” and “seamy edges” show how intelligent Louv is. If he had used more plain language it would have not been so convincing. The choice of words and phrases helps establish Louvs ethos as a good, writer endearing the reader to listen to his argument.
Louv also appeals to the strong sense of nostalgia in order to make his point. This is especially used in the last paragraph. The description of a child riding in the car, and of the imagination that it inspired makes the reader long for their childhood. It makes the reader see the good in their childhood experiences and want that for their own children. This appeal to nostalgia make Louvs argument that much stronger.
Louvs argument uses personal stories, descriptive language, and a sense of nostalgia in order to prove his point that people are far too removed from nature.
I give myself a 5. I touched on the points, but should have used more direct quotes and elaborated.
DeleteJulie, I think you wrote a good blog this weekend, so I’m giving you a 5/6. I really liked how you pointed out nostalgia, buy I do agree you could have elaborated more and created a better conclusion, but it was great other wise.
DeleteYou're too hard on yourself! This definitely deserves at least a 6 and maybe a 7. I really like the strategies you pointed out because I never thought about it in that way. I also like how you lay them all out in the beginning and clearly mention them in more detail in each paragraph. I agree with you and Ellie about elaborating more, especially in the conclusion, and using more direct quotes. Good work though!
DeleteWith life in the modern world becoming more virtual, people have forgotten the beauty, peace, and learning experience that only nature can provide. In 2008, Richard Louv wrote an argument concerning this separation between people and “true” nature. Within his argument, Louv used several strategies that appeal to his audience to make changes within their own lives and become more acquainted with the place that yields unlimited power and opportunity: nature.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraph of the passage, Louv incorporates a few short quotes from Matt Richtel and his attempt to use nature as a new medium for advertising. Louv then states both his agreement and disagreement with one of Richtel’s statements to draw attention. He wrote, “culturally important, yes. But the logical extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of ‘true’ nature - the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at.” Through his knowledge of how to draw attention to an important aspect of his argument, Louv was able to keep his audience interested and mindful of his argument.
The second and third paragraphs of Louv’s piece told a story followed by reasoning for why and how technology interferes with people and the nature that surrounds them. The third paragraph, which is compiled of reasoning, begins by asking one rhetorical question that leads right into the other. The second question being, “why do so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching?” The author then uses the word “our” when writing, “it was our drive-by-movie” when comparing the view of the landscape from the backseat of a car as it was driven. He uses “our” to prevent his readers from feeling attacked and the comparison to make his claims more relatable. In the final paragraph, he also listed a series of examples of what many children did and experienced on car rides before technology took over. Louv did this to cause his readers to recall happy childhood memories. By incorporating reasoning for his claims in a manner that relates to his audience and evoking emotion by making his readers recall childhood memories, Louv’s argument continued to grow stronger as the passage was read.
Richard Louv’s argument on the separation of people and nature was effective because of the strategies he used to pass on his thoughts concerning the problem with many losing touch with “true” nature. With all that was written, it can certainly be said that Louv’s work was rhetorically effective in its ability to not only cause his audience to ponder the problem, but in its ability to call them into action.
-Regis
I’d give your essay a 7 .. I think it was very well developed and used strong vocabulary. I like how you pointed out the tenses that the author uses. Nice job!
DeleteRegis, I'd give you a 7/8. You did a very good job pointing out different strategies uses and REALLY liked the tenses were pointed out. The only thing I would've liked to see is more quotes from the essay, but I really liked yours.
DeleteI’d rate myself a 6 because I did incorporated some of the major rhetorical strategies used, but I definitely need work improving the diction in my writing.
ReplyDelete-Regis
Richard Louv, the author of “Last Child in the Woods”, emphasizes the fact that as time goes on the relationship between people and nature separate further a part. To support his argument, Louv uses specific examples, literary devices of imagery and dialogue, and appeals to ethos. Louv appeals to his audience convincing them that over time people have pushed themselves farther away from nature.
ReplyDeleteBy proving his point with specific examples, the author makes his point believable to his audience. At the beginning of the passage, Louv uses genetic mutation to show that people are trying to change nature, not get closer to it. Lines 2-4 explain that the State University of New York is using butterflies to genetically mutate their wings by choosing the colors that they want to appear. In another example, the author explains that even something as simple as advertising pushes us away from nature. Louv writes saying, “’The sheer popularity’ of simulating nature or using nature as ad space ‘demands that we acknowledge, even respect, their cultural importance.’” Lastly, examples of separation from nature are proven through technology. Instead of looking out the car window, kids are looking at the built in television monitor in the backseat. Advancements over the years have separated people from the true beauty of nature.
Literary devices are used throughout the passage from Last Child in the Woods to help better convince the audience that people have separated themselves from nature. Louv paint a picture for this separation by painting a picture of what it’s like to look at picturesque scenes from the backseat of a vehicle. The author vividly portrays this in lines 50 – 53 saying, “The variety of architecture, here and there; the woods and fields and water beyond the seamy edges.” The imagery the author provides allows the audience to distinctly see what they’ve missed out on in today’s world. Louv also includes dialogue in this passage saying, “’You did what?’ they’ll ask. ‘Yes,’ we’ll say, ‘it’s true. We actually looked out the car window.’” The author includes this dialogue to show how present and future generations are going to be like. He is showing the audience how advancements such as technology and other distractions have separated people from nature.
Louv confirms the evidence of his argument on the separation between people and nature by appealing to ethos. When he gives specific examples, the author provides sources of those examples. When discussing genetic mutation, he gives credit to researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo in lines one and two. In another instance when discussing how children no longer look out the window when riding in the car, Louv explains how expensive technology is to entertain children. He uses the price of a Mercedes SUV and the additional amenities to prove how people use technology to avoid nature. By using important sources and crediting the sources, it shows the audience that the author’s evidence is important, but also true. Ethos convinces the audience that the author’s argument is true.
Richard Louv effectively argues that over time, people’s relationship with nature has slowly weakened. With the use of specific examples, literary devices to support his evidence, and appeal to ethos to back-up his evidence, the author clearly convinces his audience that people and nature have separated.
-Lauryn Dippold
Lauryn, this was really good! I like how you quoted items from the passage and gave the line numbers where they can be found. If I had one thing for you to fix, it would be to strengthen your introduction and conclusion-- I struggle with this too! Other than that, all looks great! I give you a 6/7.
DeleteLauryn, I’d give your analysis a 6/7. I think it was really well written and I especially liked when you brought up the point about dialogue. However, you maybe could have changed your wording to make the analysis seem less like a summary. Overall though, you did a great job!
DeleteLauryn, I would rate your rhetorical analysis as a 6 or a 7. You covered most aspects on the passage and supported the quotes with line references. You definitely had enough information, but next time you could spice it up with a better use of diction/vocabulary! As a whole, this was a wonderful piece!
DeleteLauryn I would probably give this a 7. You used the information provided to it's best possible potential. Good job
DeleteStephen
I’d rate my self a 6.. I think I used great examples but my vocabulary could have been stronger!
ReplyDeleteAs each day goes by, technology keeps becoming smarter and smarter in order to make life easier for the everyday American. This simplicity is what drives people to let go of their own work ethic and let a computer, television, or talking speaker do everything for them. Parents nowadays nag, “Kids need to spend more time outside and live like we used to,” but they are also the same people who hand their children an iPad at the age of 4 just to keep them occupied. Richard Louv addresses this problem in his essay “Last Child in the Woods.” He uses a great deal of rhetorical strategies to support his argument and make the reader imagine the picture that he is painting.
ReplyDeleteLouv begins his essay with an anecdote about the State University of New York at Buffalo and their new technological findings dealing with butterfly wings (Lines 1-4), and then moves into the art of moving advertisements from a virtual standpoint to out in the real world. He uses this to introduce his argument— the significance of nature. By taking this approach, Richard Louv establishes his authority by using logical reasoning that correlates with the subject.
The next paragraph tells of an experience of a friend and her car-shopping adventure which serves as a testimonial for evidence. However, he first mentions a quote by Elaine Brooks, “True, our experience of natural landscape often occurs within an automobile looking out,” (Lines 20-21). This quote brings about the underlying tone of the testimonial of the friend which only provides more logic and evidence to Richard Louv’s work.
“We considered the past and dreamed of the future, and watched it all go by in the blink of an eye,” (Lines 71-73). In this powerful last sentence, Richard is sure to leave his readers with something to chew on. In the preceding lines, he begins to stir up emotions and makes the audience feel guilty because they are most likely held accountable for the same wrongdoings— such as giving children electronics just so they do not bother anyone. These emotions were building up throughout the last half of his essay, and then in the last lines, Louv finally cracks the whip.
Richard Louv embarks on a journey of telling people something that they probably do not want to hear, and this is a strategy that takes the upmost bravery. In his piece, “The Last Child in the Woods,” Louv uses logic and emotion heavily in order to get his message across to the audience, and this is what makes it so effective.
I would give myself a 6 because I pointed out some of the rhetorical strategies used before even looking at the examples and I quoted information from the text, but I could go into more detail and better some of my vocabulary.
DeleteMaddie, I agree with you score of a 6/7. You did do a very good job at pointing out the rhetorical strategies used, like anecdotes, etc. Yet I feel you could've done more with your vocabulary and also more quotes.
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ReplyDeleteLouv masterfully writes an essay about people losing their sense of beauty for nature. Louv does a very good job using nostalgic feelings to entice the reader. The idea of looking out the window and watching what goes by, seeing cows and fields, roadkill and farmhouse, brings back memories of when we were younger. He also uses a relevant anecdote of a friend's buying an SUV. In this story, Louv uses the shock of the salesman, when his friend does not want a TV in the backseat for children, to spark his main point, on how people aren't connected to nature anymore. We, the people in Elk County, ate very fortunate to be so close to forests and streams, but people that live in the city aren't so lucky. Louv also uses a quote from Matt Richtel, and a study on butterflies to start off his essay altogether. His entire essay echoes a very nostalgic feel, and allows for us to connect better with this essay. He follows nostalgia up with a look to the future, and brings us to a harsh reality that we might be telling our grandchildren that we looked out the window of a moving car when younger. With technology and the quickness it is progressing, that this might actually happen. It makes us realize that we have to appreciate and respect what we have, and to not take one of these moments for granted. Nature is one of the beautiful things we have in this world, and too many people are stuck to their phones to even realize what we have. He makes us feel almsot guilty about not looking out the window when sitting in a vehicle, and it is a very moving idea. Louv does all of this very well and allows himself to get the point across.
ReplyDeleteI would give myself a 4/5. I pointed out the strategies used, but should've done more on each one. I also should've used quotes straight from the essay, which I didn't do at all. I couldve done better vocab and sentence structure.
DeleteI would give you a 6 for your information. Also, your opening section of your argument was very well written. The expression you used regarding nostalgia was very accurate with the piece. I would give you a 4 for your length, which is what the problem in my article was.
DeleteI’d give you a 5 Tony. Your analysis was well-verses and organized, but you lacked any quotes to support your position. Overall, well done.
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ReplyDeleteRichard Louv expresses his opinion on the division between nature and people in a piece he referred to as Last Child in the Woods, written in the year 2008. Throughout his analysis, he institutes many rhetorical strategies and places them with the hopes of organizing a very proper piece. One topic of discussion that stands out in this article occurs when Louv touches on the experiment of butterfly wings. It was mind boggling to see that someone could attempt to alter the already remarkable beauty of a butterfly. Louv was able to tug on the emotions of the audience by using this example. Another reference he makes in regards to the fact that technology is ruining the people and widening the gap between people and nature. This point was obvious and definitely needed to be stated. These examples that Louv gives go a long way in validating his argument, and they lay the groundwork for a common belief in the audience. In conclusion, the main argument of Louv’s article is that he uses his examples in a real life and present day point of view in order to relate the topic with his audience. These three strategies carried him throughout the entire article.
ReplyDeleteI would give myself a 6 based on information, but a 4 based on length. I wasn’t sure how to describe it in a lengthy argument.
ReplyDeleteBryce, I would give you a 4. You had good information, however, you did not use direct quotes from the passage. Also, as you said, your analysis was sort in length. You did a great job finding the logos, pathos, and ethos of the piece. Overall, as a whole you did a good job with the rhetorical analysis.
DeleteBryce I would give yours a 4/5. Your ideas were goood, but the length was poor. Also, another way to bump up the score would be to provide specific examples such as quotations.
ReplyDeleteRichard Louv’s book, “Last Child in the Woods” (2008), focuses on the fact that the bond between society and nature deteriorates once people begin to distance themselves from nature as the years go on. Louv also states how this "nature-deficit disorder" harms children and society. Louv argues that this separation has an effect that is detrimental on all humans. He uses anecdotes and emotionally driven language to jolt the awareness of the reader of the harmful changes that society is undergoing. Louv encourages humans to make note of this large separation and break the barrier that stands between them and nature.
ReplyDeleteIn the first paragraph of the passage, Louv mentions another author, that also supports his thesis of human and nature separation, by using a series of quotes. The specific diction that Louv uses in this paragraph perfectly describes the mechanical and robotic ways of large corporations. He states: “Advertisers already stamp their messages into the wet sands of public beaches. Cash-strapped municipalities hope corporations agree to affix their company logo on parks in exchange for dollars to keep the public spaces maintained” (Lines 9-13). Louv makes note of the synthetic nature that takes from the relevance of “true” nature.
The second paragraph of Louv’s work includes an anecdote. He describes a situation in which his friend purchased a Mercedes SUV with a Global Positioning System for her birthday and related that to a quote of Elaine Brooks. “True, our experience of natural landscape ‘often occurs within an automobile lookout’” (Lines 20-21). Louv uses this as a perfect example to prove that humans are becoming more and more detached from nature. All of the new bells and whistles that are included with current technology are building a bigger barrier between people and nature. Just as the salesman was baffled at the fact that Louv’s friend was not interested in a backseat monitor. This anecdote shows how isolated some people are from the natural world as opposed to the digital world.
In the final parts of the passage, Louv uses rhetorical questions and a made-up anecdote to tug at people’s emotions. Strong emotion is used when he mentions what kids used to do to keep themselves occupied while on a car ride, such as mentioned in lines 48-56 and lines 62-73. “In our useful boredom, we used our fingers to draw pictures on fogged glass as we watched telephone poles tick by ... and watched it all go by in the blink of an eye” hints that imagination and individuality are linked with people’s relationship with nature itself. As the relationship with nature diminishes and deteriorates, so does the imagination that is associated with it.
I would give myself a 5 or a 6 on this rhetorical analysis.
This was very good! I would give you a 7 on this blog. Your thoughts were well developed and thought out. I think you could’ve mentioned the rhetorical strategies a bit more but even without that it was still a great post.
DeleteThe Last Child in the Woods, a story by Richard Louv, explains the separation that has gradually occurred between people and nature. He uses rhetorical strategies such as explaining how big time corporations use nature for their advantage, tells the reader a true story, and makes the audience contemplate on the future of the bond between humans and nature.
ReplyDeleteLouv begins his writings with an explanation of how big time corporations and advertisers use the natural world to promote their businesses. These companies are using nature to help create revenue for their products, but the question of how this effects the relationship between the landscape and people hovers ever so close. As Louv states, “But the logical extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of “true” nature— the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at.” brings the attention to this question. If people only see man-made creations in the world, the true beauty of nature will be ignored. Large companies are using a sort of exploiting mechanism on the earth to distract people from the truth of nature and to otherwise promote their business. When one is distracted by these advertisements, their focal point shifts from nature and onto the material world.
As Louv further dives into his explanation of the relationship between the natural world and people, he brings to the table a story of a friend buying a new car. The woman refused to buy a television monitor for her daughter who would sit in the backseat as she drove the car. This new and entertaining feature for a car actually further takes away nature from the mind of the child. Louv argues that the destination ahead and the drive along the way is something to be seen without distractions. When a child looks out the window at the natural world, they see how cities connect to nature and experience a sort of “drive-by movie” for themselves. The imagination of the child can expand as they watch the world about them go by in a zooming car. The distractions cause the loss of a real bond between humans and nature at an early age in life, which is not something Louv desires.
Louv’s argument relies heavily on pathos, or emotion, since he gives many personal examples and appeals to the audiences emotions throughout the short excerpt. He brings in real-life examples to back his argument on the world and people living within it. His explanation draws out emotion in the reader when he states that, “Perhaps we’ll someday tell our grandchildren stories about our version of the nineteenth-century Conestoga wagon.” This statement makes the audience contemplate about the future of the relationship between the mind and the world. Louv’s usage of rhetorical strategies causes a successful argument for the relationship between people and nature.
I give myself a five on this piece.
I am rating your essay a 6. I liked your explanations on what Louv was trying to convey. I think that you’re essay could use some work with more advanced vocabulary and should be divided up into categories of rhetorical strategies instead of summarizing what was stated.
Delete“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” Not only did Aristotle discover this phenomenon for himself, but every day people can also agree upon this wonder of the universe. In Richard Louv’s piece known as, “Lost Child in the Woods”, he uses a multitude of rhetorical strategies in order to develop his argument about the separation of people and nature, as he demands respect for nature’s cultural importance. He does this through the use of references as well as diction and syntax, which help Louv to effectively give an argument so that importance of appreciating nature can be expressed clearly.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the passage, Richard Louv gives reference to two different people in order to give credibility to his argument. The first person he references is Matt Ritchtel, a writer with the idea to use butterfly’s as a new form of advertisement, as researchers from the State University of New York found that it was possible to choose the colors of a butterfly’s wings through experimentation. Louv uses a quotation from Richtel which states, “Sponsorship-wise, it’s time for nature to carry its weight.” Louv then points out that this practice will turn true nature into a synthetic one, turning it into something that is not even worth looking at. This source has a different viewpoint from Louv, but Louv is able to turn it into something he can use in his argument to make his audience see what is going on in the world. His second source is Elaine Brooks, who points out that human interaction with natural landscapes often occur while looking out the windows of automobiles, and not as much by exploring it for ourselves. However, even this is becoming less common.
Richard Louv uses his diction and syntax in order to better portray his argument as well. He uses rhetorical questions to make the audience think, such as, “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the opportunities for them to watch it?” and “ Why do so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching?”. These questions make the reader stop and think, as well as realize what is going on in the current culture. He also uses an anecdote of a friend of his in which they go to buy a luxury car, but do not want a backseat television in it, as the landscapes around them should be their drive-by movie. In addition, Louv uses the words “our” and “we”. Towards the end of the passage, it can be seen that his audience is probably that of people who did not have televisions in their back seats, and most likely have children now that do. The use of the word “we” suggests that it is a cultural issue, to which nature is being seen as something of lesser value than in the past.
Through Louv’s use of references, diction, and syntax, he is able to show his audience the importance of nature and how it is being overlooked by humans in the current age. Only by recognizing this issue in the present can change society ways for the betterment of the future.
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Delete
DeleteI like how you included the diction and syntax that Louv used in his piece, and how you started out with a quote from Aristotle. This is a very well written blog! I would give it a 7/8.
I would rate my essay a 6. I think my organization could be better and sentences more clear.
DeleteRichard Louv, the author of Last Child in the Woods argued the separation between people and nature. In this passage he uses different strategies such as; personal experiences, rhetorical questions and specific examples to drive his argument.
ReplyDeleteHe starts out by giving us an example on how researchers at Buffalo University are experimenting on the wings of butterflies and are attempting to chose the color of the wings. Him showing us this allows us to understand how far away people are getting from nature. This also shows how people are losing focus on the true beauty of nature. He also uses technology as an example of how people are getting away from nature. He explains that when when he was a kid, he used to look out the window of a car or even watch the birds go by to occupy his time. He uses the quote, “The 40 children can watch Sesame Street or play Grand Theft Auto on their PlayStation without bothering the driver” this shows what the kids do today while in cars. This just shows how a kid is being driven farther away from nature. Not only does looking out a window and paying attention while driving allow you to experience nature, but also helps you learn the different roads and how to navigate. Louv also uses rhetorical questions in his passage such as “Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, yet continue to expand the 45 opportunities for them to watch it?” this quote shows irony in that, parents want kids to reduce the amount of television they watch but yet they will buy them a new PlayStation or Xbox. He also uses this as a way to make the readers of this guilty and maybe question what they are really doing. He ends his argument by looking back at the things he used to do when he was in the car, and how the kids of today will never understand what it was like in the 19th century. This drives emotion into the argument and makes us wonder what we will remember about ourselves. Through the use of all these strategies is how he mage his argument so powerful.
I would give myself a 4/5. I think I had some decent ideas, but I think I could have organized it better, and elaborated on the ideas a bit more.
DeleteDan, I would score your essay a 5. You did a good job identifying some of the rhetorical strategies, but I think there were a lot of things from the passage that you could have also incorporated to back up your points.
Delete“We actually looked out the car window,” is a very thought provoking line. It is hard to believe that this is a hard gesture to perform, but today it is. Now, as described in this passage, by doing this, the imagination has the ability to run wild. Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv is expressing to the audience that so much of this is lost. The idea of looking outside and acknowledging how the world works is such lost privilege. Rather than looking at the beautiful scenery, landscape, and even the not so pretty things, children do not move their eyes from in this case, a television screen. There are cows to be counted, foggy windows to be drawn on, and roadkill to be taken back by. It is a tragedy how much beauty of the world is missed out on by not embracing the beautiful world out there. So, as the story asks, “why do we no longer consider the physical world worth watching?”
ReplyDelete“What is the world coming to?” is a commonly asked phrase. Here is another example of which that greatly applies. Nature has become just another form of advertisement for people to get distracted by. Rather than focusing on the beauty and importance, big corporations see fit to manipulate society into focusing on selling a product instead of what really matters. Butterflies are known for their beautiful wings and the incredible act of transforming into that wonderful creature. The idea of a butterfly in itself is amazing, but this too can be altered and changed. Society has began taking beautiful creatures and landscape and began changing it into a way to increase advertisement of a product they want people to believe they cannot live without.
Many rhetorical strategies are found in this passage. Pathos, ethos, and logos are very profound throughout. Pathos is used in a dominant way in the later portion of the story to show what people, especially children are missing out on. It is not only good for the mind to learn the way of the world, but it is good for the soul to appreciate the great world out there. He comprehends joyous memories which come from gazing out the window. Much of the ethos is found in the first paragraph, while describing that there are strategical advertisements found everywhere. Also, that there are developments in technology which can create a creature to any desirable way. An example of where logos is found is in the third paragraph when it is discussed that Americans claim that they do not want their kids to watch television yet they put it in front of their kid’s face as a form of distraction. The rhetorical strategies in this passage describe to the readers the importance on acknowledging simply what is going on around you.
There is a large separation between people and nature, which is described in the story. Nature is taken for granted by people. People separate themselves from nature through distractions and living in a world where silence is unacceptable and moments of peace do not exist. In a busy world people care more about people and nature is lost in the shuffle. And this I believe is a true tragedy.
Rate: 5
You did a great job conveying how the ethos, pathos and logos were used in this passage. I think you could have showed a couple more different rhetorical strategies other than ethos logos and pathos, but other than that it was good.5/6
DeleteI agree with Dan, it is great to pick out where ethos, pathos, and logos were used. However, if you were to include more rhetorical strategies I think that would improve your score. With that being said I would also rate this piece a 5/6.
DeleteRichard Louv uses uses quotes and anecdotes to show his audience how company marketing is taking over nature. Louv starts with the example of researchers who are working on “A genetic technology through which they can choose the colors that appear on butterfly wings” and soon Matt Richtel came out saying that this could be used for advertising and that “Sponsorship-wise, it’s time for nature to start carrying it’s weight.” The author transitions to another example of how “Advertisers already stamp their messages into the wet sands of public beaches” and “Affix their company logo on parks.” These examples are to show the reader how the issue already exists and is spreading fast. The examples used are large and grab the readers attention and pull them in.
ReplyDeleteHe continues to use an anecdote from a friend that “The salesman's jaw dropped when I said I didn’t want a backseat television monitor for my daughter” showing the disconnection from nature children have begun to experience. Louv then talks about the transfer from nature to technology. This is a topic that is being debated in our current society, the integration of technology in our society hits a soft spot in a lot of people and bringing it into the argument will pull those people on the author’s side, though it can dive away some of his younger audience.
Though this is part of the authors main point, that the separation of humanity from nature causes a disrespect for nature that could lead to the ussing of nature for advertisement.
He uses the sentiment of the experience of driving through nature on trips trying to invoke good feelings using experiences that the reader has probably had. This is a type of emotional appeal, reminding the audience of good experiences the advertising may deprive children of.
Stephen
I would probably give myself a 5 or 6.
DeleteI am giving you a 5. You used a lot of direct quotes but not so many indirect quotes. They can be a good thing, but too many can be confusing. Try using more clarification behind what these quotations are trying to say I’m your writing.
DeleteIn 2008, Richard Louv published Last Child in the Woods. In this he argued about the separation of people and nature. He used the three rhetorical strategies to do this. By using specific examples he was able to make the reader relate to his argument more. He kept the text very simple and easy to read. This allows for everyone to see his side of the argument. He begins his argument with logos. In the beginning, Louv brings up common points against his argument and then defends where he’s coming from. He uses questions and statements to do this. Another key indicator that he is doing this is the way he uses the word, “but.” An example would be, “Culturally important, yes. But the logical extension of synthetic nature is the irrelevance of “true” nature— the certainty that it’s not even worth looking at.” After this, he goes on to include a story of what happened to a friend of his. While some may think it serves no purpose to his argument it adds to it in a great way. It further develops his idea that people need to connect themselves to nature more yet all that happens is new ways to add distance between people and nature. Even in a new car, in which you can see the world, there are ways you can avoid the beauty that is offered by nature. Towards the end of this passage Louv uses ethos. He makes the reader feel a sense of sadness at what all people are giving up today. This was a great way to make the reader want to go see nature. By adding this, he fulfilled the meaning behind an argument; to get the reader to want to side with you. He ended the argument in a very smart way and this added to the overall effectiveness of his argument.
ReplyDeleteI would give myself a 4 seeings as my thoughts were not as developed as they could have been.
DeleteI think you were able to point out some good examples of rhetorical strategies that Louv used, however you also did it in a “to the point” fashion. If you were to elaborate further on your thoughts I think this analysis could easily be a 5/6 or even a 7 but as is I’d rate it a 4. Good work overall.
DeleteRichard Louv’s exert from “Last Child in the Woods” was driven by his intense passion that he felt towards this particular topic. Louv wanted the reader to develop their own interpretation when separating people from nature. He does this by first leading the reader to a realization that humans have made nature a place full of materialistic-driven joy. By compromising nature’s innocence, it’s general appeal has significantly diminished. Louv further proves his argument by incorporating some first hand experience that his friend had experienced. His addition of his friends story is the main driving point of his overall argument. It is within this story that Louv links the rest of his evidence to. The conclusion of Louv’s exert is geared towards the emotions of the reader. By asking the reader to reminisce their childhood memories involving nature, the reader quickly feels ashamed in realization of their ignorance dealing with modern society and the unfortunate excommunication of nature itself. Louv is able to perfectly explain how in modern society humans are willing to trade authenticity for convenience.
ReplyDeleteI would give myself a 4 based on the fact that my analysis was short in length, although I do think that I was able to point out some good strategies that were used.
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