Chapter 48

Evaluating Arguments:

When evaluating arguments it is important to to distinguish between reasonable and fallacious argument tactics. Using hasty generalizations, and false analogies an argument can turn fallacious. A hasty generalization is a conclusion based on insufficient or not representative evidence. Stereo types are also a hasty generalization in the fact that you make a conclusion or hasty generalization about a particular group. Some examples include people of a certain ethnicity can't do something because they are of that ethnicity.
It is important to draw analogies. A analogy is when you point out a similarity between two things that are different. You must be aware of false analogys. A false analogy is when you assume that two things are alike in one aspect then they must be alike in other aspects. This can be very misleading. You should also weigh options and take other things into consideration. Do not make an assumption just because you think it is true. Lastly you must judge how fair the writer is and if they accept the opposing views well.
I think I will be able to use this when writing research papers now. I will use this when trying to prove my point and I think it will make my papers much more precise. I need to work on arguments in papers so the next paper I have I will go straight to this chapter and use it as a reference.

Obituary: Mr.Harvey

I think that Mr.Harvey was just wanted his students to be the best they can be. He was telling them the truth, and the truth hurts. I think that sometimes you have to be realistic. In America it would be very hard to become a productive part of society with broken English. Mr.Harvey may be harsh but it is obvious that he just wants to motivate his students to do better. I think his way of teaching might not be moral but I think that really he just wants the kids in the class to not be stuck and have multiple opportunity's in life. In the beginning it is clear that this is the case because Lois-Ann Yamanaka says "No make f-you finger to Mr.Harvey. We gotta try and talk the way he say. No more dis and dat and wuz and cuz' cause we only hurting ourselfs." The writer is ashamed of the broken English. I don't think that just because a person can't speak proper English that they are ignorant I think that society doesn't care if you are smart or not. Society judges you on your appearance and how you present yourself.

Chapter 47

When writing a argument you must construct it in a way that it is reasonable. Some easy ways to make a good argument is to focus on your audience. View them as a panel of jurors. Don't jump to conclusions that your audience already agrees with you. View your argument as data to persuade the audience. When writing your introduction you must establish your thesis statement and be sure to make clear what your position is. Show credibility by showing your audience that you are fair and know what you are talking about. Back your thesis up with persuasive arguments and support your claims by using specific evidence. When you use facts and statistics it can help you extremely well because it is known with certainty to be true. When talking about your argument you must anticipate the other side as well.
I think I will use this when writing a paper that is based on proving my point. I think I find this very useful because sometimes proving your point can be hard. Sometimes when I write papers that have an argument in them I tend to think that the audience already agrees with me. I think that now reading this I will be a better writer when writing papers that require me to use an argument.

Coming Home Again: ESSAY 2 ROUGH DRAFT

Catherine Mandrell

Lauren Servais

3/8/11

In coming home again by Chang-Rae Lee there is a significance of family. I can relate to this story and Chang-Rae in it because my grandmother came to stay with us when my mother got back surgery. She came for a few months and made delicious meals every night. I can remember the succulent chicken baked in the oven stuffed with goat cheese and rosemary, the fluffy mash potatoes, and the hot fresh rolls out of the oven. My grandmother was there for my mom in her time of need and we greatly appreciated it. Just like in Coming home again where her son is there for his mother. I remember I would watch my grandmother in the kitchen like Chang Lee watched his mother. I was fascinated by it. I too enjoyed cooking and she even taught me how to make some of our family’s favorite meals. My grandmother and I bonded over those long six months. I was only around the age of eleven but I still understood that if my grandmother were not here it would not be an easy recovery for my Mom. The writer and his mother had a great bond when they were in the kitchen. Like in Lee’s family my family was the same way in the fact that dinnertime was my family’s time to catch up with each other and unwind from the day. I always enjoy hearing what my family has to say. It’s really rare that we are able to eat dinner around the table anymore and I deeply miss that but life is just too hectic now a day's.

The last time we saw my grandma we went out to Las Vegas to visit her at her condo. I surprised her when she came home from work with a full course meal. She was ecstatic! I made her the things she taught me the last time she came to visit. It was pork tenderloin set in a marinade for an hour and grilled, mash potatoes with lots of butter and cream, and a salad with homemade vinaigrette. Although this wasn’t exactly heart friendly food she ate it with joy.  Food is a big part of my family’s life just like in Coming Home Again.

My grandma and me have a very close relationship like Lee and his mother. The prime example in the story of how close Chang and his mother are is when he is making Mahn-doo filling. His mother tells Chang  “I don’t know how you were going to make it without me.”  Chang responds with “I don’t know either.” This shows there strong mother son bond. I am one of the only girl cousins in our family so whenever I am around my abnormally humungous family they completely spoil me. Just like his mother hated to say no to him my grandmother was the same. It hurt her to say no to me. She wanted so badly to give me everything but she knew that not getting my way everytime would build character.

The Insufficiency of Honesty

Carters definition of integrity is discerning what is right and what is wrong, Acting on what you have discerned, and saying that you are openly acting on your understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Discerning what is right and wrong is important because it shows what kind of moral values we have. It is a test if we comprehend right from wrong. Acting on what you have "discerned" is important because you need to follow through with commitments and what you have chosen to be either honest or not. Openly acting on what your understanding and faith in what's right or what is wrong in knowing that integrity can be trusted.
All the dishonesty in the world scares me. I am frightened that people are constantly lieing. After all All the worlds a stage and you and me are merely players.  Us, being the main actress or actors,  smack dab in the middle of the stage. Our front stage appearance is what we portray we are. Our backstage who we really are. You know all those things you think about on a day to day basis but don't say out loud. Why can't we all come out and say exactly what is on our minds? Because we are constantly in backstage appearance. We are constantly thinking how to act. How to dress. What to eat. So in some sense everyone is constantly lying a little bit.

Shooting Dad

 What accounts for the narrator’s struggles with her dad?


The narrator Sarah Vowell grew up in Oklahoma. Her father was a gunsmith and Sarah didn't completely support it. Her struggles come from her experiences and strong views. Some experiences being one day Sarah's sister, father and her went to a shooting range. Sarah held a pistol and shot it. She recalled that when she shot the gun it flung her backwards. She knew from a bad experience that guns were not for her. Maybe Sarah felt bad that her sister on the "other hand" was very interested in guns. It was something that her sister and father could share and maybe the narrator felt jealous or guilty for not taking pride in her fathers work. Her reluctance in family activities might have made her bitter. 


The narrator also shares one experience of not having so much reluctance and struggle with her father. The day he shot the canon. Immediately Sarah's father is suspicious when she says she wants come all the way to Montana to watch him shoot off the canon. When they set the  canon off in the mountains they both are amazed by it.  Sarah and her father are bonding on a whole new level.