Prompt 9: Music and Sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwhP5b4tD6g

This is the trailer for Stephen Spielberg's 1998 film Saving Private Ryan.  For many reasons, I consider this the best movie ever made.  The movie contains so much drama that it forces the viewer to place him/herself in the shoes of the characters fighting for their lives.  This trailer captivates a lot of the drama that defines this movie.  There is very inspirational music that plays through most of the trailer and it gives the video and "epic" foundation.  The music makes the viewer feel somewhat emotional because of how beautiful it is.  There is not a lot of sounds of the war or the violence in this trailer, which is an interesting, but crafty way of advertising this movie.  The music and sounds of this trailer show the audience that this movie is more than just a war movie, but an inspirational and dramatic film.

Prompt #8: Rhetorical Architecture 

This is a picture of Brackett hall from the back.  To the right (outside of the picture) is the attached Brackett 100 auditorium.   I have had several classes in this building since my college experience has started, and I always thought that this angle of Brackett was very interesting.  It always seemed to me as though the fact that a lot of this side of the building is covered with windows expresses an 'openness' to the structure.  Some of the buildings on campus seems very repulsive and don't make an effort to make people want to go inside.  This building, however, has a very welcoming vibe.  This building is also very big and presents itself as very official and professional, which is important because it is one of the buildings on campus that holds classes and an institute for learning.  The position of this building is also significant, because it is almost right in the middle of campus.  It is almost as if this building is one of the landmarks of the university.  I have always been impressed by Brackett hall, and I think that the way in which it was constructed has a lot to say about the type of building that it is and, in general, the type of University that Clemson is.

Prompt 7: Clothing Speaks

My favorite outfit would have to be my Clark boots, my slim fit Levi jeans, and a flannel shirt.  It's almost like what you would expect a lumber jack to wear.  I like this outfit because it is sort of unique and not what a lot of other guys wear.  I have always thought that it is important to be a little unique.  Also, this outfit works well in cold weather and I love cold weather.  Also this outfit looks good with a nice black jacket over it.  This is a somewhat formal look that adds a level of maturity to the outfit.  Looking mature is also something that I find important when choosing what to wear.  I wouldn't say that "classy" is the right word to use when describing my style.  I love this outfit and I'm sure as i get older it will evolve in some ways.

Prompt 6

Today I was having lunch with a friend in Harcombe and we had a very interesting conversation.  Basically, I asked him what he wanted to do with his life.  He said that he wanted to do a lot of things.  A majority of the things he mentioned had to do with entrepreneurship and owning his own business one day.  He also discussed some teaching opportunities that he would like to offer students with disabilities.  The nature of the conversation was interesting, but what really gave life to what he was saying was the way in which he told me his future plans.  He was very animated as he talked and mixed exaggerated and calm faces as he moved from point to point.  He would have noticed instantly if I was not paying attention because his entire focus was on my eyes.  He was making it impossible to not make eye contact with his as he talked.  The way in which he sold what he was saying forces me to picture him doing these things in the future.  He was being very persuasive, and even if I wouldn't have normally thought that his ideas were good, I did at that moment because of how passionate and assertive he was being as he spoke.  I still remember everything he said because he gave everything that he said meaning.  I could definitely feel some rhetoric in this conversation.

Favorite Place On Campus

I had to think about this one a little bit, but I have decided that the amphitheater is my favorite place on campus (besides my dorm room).  The amphitheater is certainly one of the most recognizable places on campus, so I guess that doesn't make this choice very unique, but it still is one of the most enjoyable places on campus in my opinion.  Sometimes, when I do not feel like studying in either my dorm room or in the library, I will come sit in front of the amphitheater and study.  If the weather is nice, then this is always a relaxing, peaceful retreat from the studying norm.  Also, it is nice to watch people walk by as they go to and fro, completing the various tasks of their day.  It helps remind me that even though there are a lot of people here, we are all connected in this big Clemson Family.  I think the amphitheater symbolizes a lot of unity for everyone here at this University.  Everyone knows where it is, what it looks like, and most everyone has probably been there at least once.  I think that that is what the builder of this amphitheater had in mind when constructing this.  Another enjoyable aspect of the amphitheater is the fact that you can see the library and the reflection pond from it.  I think that he pond and the library are two other major landmarks on campus are are very nice too look at.  The whole area between Daniel and Brackett that contains the amphitheater, reflection pond, library, etc. is very enjoyable to me from a visual, symbolic, and realistic stand point.

Axe Super Bowl Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGhSKgdFEYg

The link above is to the Super Bowl commercial that aired this past Sunday for Axe Apollo.  This commercial primarily uses a lot of pathos in order to persuade the viewer to buy the product.  Most of the video involves a dramatic attempt by a lifeguard to save a woman who is about to be attacked by a shark.  He saves the woman and romantically brings her to safety.  The way in which this commercial was shot and constructed, with the mix of intense music, makes the viewer pull for the lifeguard.  There is much emotion that the viewer feels while watching this struggle because the woman's life depends on the lifeguard.   The way in which this commercial is set up makes the viewer think that it will end with the lifeguard and the woman "living happily ever after".  This also is pathos because it brings emotion out of the viewer.  This is not the case, however, as the introduction of the astronaut that the woman chooses steps into the scene.  This is the climax of the commercial because of the fact that it is completely random and introduces the product "Axe Apollo".  At this point, the most obvious form of emotion is pulled from the viewer; humor.  The twist at the end of this commercial is what is meant to be remembered by the audience.  This attempt to leave an impression in the mind of the viewer is the primary way in which the product is advertised.  This form of rhetoric is one of the most noticeable marks left in my mind of any commercial I've ever seen.

A Door Says it All

This is a picture of the door of someone who lives down the hall from me.  I know that this picture does not have great quality, so I will describe it.  This person has different advertisements that have appeared around the dorm halls taped to his door upside-down.  The blue one at the top is a reminder to not have alcohol in your dorm room.  The purple one is an advertisement to not loose your dorm key.  The orange one is a reminder to be responsible for guests that you bring into your dorm room.  Finally, the yellow one at the bottom is just on of the advertisements that are placed on elevator doors that mention upcoming events on campus.  The key thing to notice, however, is that all of these advertisements and reminders are taped to the door upside-down.  It is almost as if the person who lives in this dorm wants to show everyone who walks by that he does not care about abiding to the rules of the dorm, and regards some aspects of Clemson with disrespect.  It seems as thought this individual does not strive to make himself known as a friendly, easygoing, or disciplined person.  The fact that he has not made any other efforts to try and decorate his door shows that he probably does not care about making his door seem presentable or interesting.  I know that the first though I had when walking by this door was "Wow, I don't know if I agree with what this person has done.  For all I know, some of this guy's friends did this to his door, but that doesn't change the fact that this door comes across as unappealing.