Rhetorical Analysis of "The First Charter of Virginia"

Author: The author is said to be "us" or "we". It does not state specifically who is writing.
Audience: Citizens under King James who could become interested in the new colony, Virginia.
Tone: The tone of the document is proffessional and factual (I would also like to say boring...).
Purpose: To persuade more people to colonize in Virginia.
~How is it persuasive?~
-Ethos: I saw no emotions in this document, which is why I found it difficult to read. Perhaps if they had put more emotion in it, more people would've been persuaded to colonize in Virginia. The lack of emotion made it very uninteresting. If this document were supposed to make me want to move to Virginia, I don't think I would.
-Pathos: They use a very proffessional tone, which makes it seem credible. Also, they begin with mentioning the King and his "well-disposed subjects", which adds a lot of points for credibility. But does mentioning the King's name make it more persuasive? Perhaps that depended upon whether you liked the King or not.
-Logos: They describe the land of Virginia and different things you could do, and our allowed to do, with it, and logical ways that you could make good use of it.

National College Fair COLL100

I am not enrolled in COLL100.

Response to "Destruction of the Indies"

My response to Bartolomé de Las Casas' "Destruction of the Indies" using templates...


Bartolomé states that the Spaniards treated the Indians "as the most abject dung and filth of the Earth", which is supported by his eye-witness accounts showing us that the Spaniards were inhumanly cruel. The Indians were submissive towards the Spaniards, even viewed them as heavenly beings, but the Spaniards assaulted the Indians "like most cruel Tygers, Wolves and Lions hunger-starv'd". On the Island of Hispaniola, the Spaniards "spar'd no Age, or Sex, nay not so much as Women with Child", "inhumanely exposing others to their Merciless Swords". The three million people of Hispaniola was taken down to just three hundred. "Spaniards by their barbarous and execrable Actions have absolutely depopulated Ten Kingdoms, of greater extent than all Spain...which now lye wast and desolate, and are absolutely ruined, when as formerly no other Country whatsoever was more populous."

How could the Spaniards possibly act so viciously? Their slaughter was promoted by a few things: their ambition, the wealth of the regions, and the humility of the Indians. Though, I have to say this is no excuse for the innumerable cruelities performed upon the Indians, many of which the saddened Bartolomé de Las Casas was an eye-witness to. He said that, "above Twelve Millions have undeservedly perished...without understanding the true Faith or Sacraments". Yes, I think there could have been many better ways for Spain to expand its nation other this reckless slaughter of the new fertile and spacious lands they were blessed to chance upon.

My Writing Philosophy

I will always put my true thoughts onto paper in the most eloquent way that I can. I will put passion into my writing, and no B.S.. I will re-read the work that I write many times before the final draft, and always be working on improving my writing skills. Most importantly, I will take pride and joy in my writing.

Short Brainstorm on Quote by Michel Foucault

Messy thoughts jotted down during class...

"My guess on what he's saying is that he's not interested in what us in the present think of past events, but, how history has shaped our world today.

A history of the present? So he could mean by that what events that have already happened are still effecting our world today.

So maybe more on facts than on opinions.

So really...looking at current events and then checking out what past events have caused those current events."

"English Composition as a Happening" by Charles Deemer

Charles Deemer in this essay states very passionately his disagreements with education. He believes that students should be allowed more freedom of thought and that they should be provoked more to form their own opinions than forced to accept the opinions of the teacher. He thinks that there should be a lot more free thinking and discussing going on in the classrooms than regurgitation of the standardized opinions that students are forced into.

He supports his firm beliefs with many quotes that have sustenance, and are from several different authors, that proves to the reader that he is not alone in his thoughts. He starts his essay with a quote from Johny Dewey stating, "Our entire school system...is not designed for the maximum growth and future practial utility of the children. ...To mold, and weed out, for short-range extrinsic needs...cannot possibly suit the multitude of dispositions and conditions." It is a strong statement to begin with, and he backs this up throughout his essay with many thoughts and opinions as to why the school system is flawed, and also with more and more supportive quotes.

PSEC Essay

      I would like to see a law in this country that all foods are “see-through”. In other words, that the consumer knows whether GMO plants have been used, or pesticides, or antibiotics, or hormones, or anything else unnatural. The consumer should have the right to know what they are eating, so that they can choose what they are putting in their bodies. (Europe is far ahead of us on that.) That way, consumers who are more health-conscious can feel like they are protecting their bodies more; and perhaps other consumers will start becoming more health-conscious.
      This new law would include rewarding animal farms and slaughter houses that regularly demonstrate the best in humane practices with a special demarcation on the product that comes to market so that the consumer can identify those companies easily. It would also disallow those who fail to follow humane practices from bringing their products to market at all. Thusly, this would raise the bar in American food product standards.
      Such legislation could put America in a world leadership position for humane and healthful practices. Healthier people are better balanced, happier, smarter, better at finding solutions, and more peaceful. I believe everyone's life is important -- and I know that this new legislation would be a step in a positive direction. I would like to see our nation be a world leader in healthful and humane practices.