Common Decency Susan Jacoby

Both Sherman Alexie and Francine Prose utilize various rhetorical strategies throughout their essays to captivate their audience. However, Alexie and Prose present and use these rhetorical strategies in different ways. Prose’s essay contains different components of literary devices than Alexie’s essay. For example, one of the rhetorical methods Prose uses is to take on a certain identity to build her credibility and to strengthen her argument. While Alexie also takes on an identity to fortify his argument, it is a completely different identity than Prose. The authors both appropriate a distinctive style and rhetorical devices into their essays, which in turn create strong arguments, captivate the audience, and reveal the writer’s true thoughts and feelings.

Even though there is more legal protection in America against rape than in others in which, for example, marital rape is not criminalized, the attitude towards rape victims shows that the underlying values and beliefs are sexist. This patriarchal society tends to blame the victim. Both, men and women, assume that if a woman was raped it was because she was dressed “provocative”, she was drunk, she was alone at night or she was “promiscuous”, among many other sexist misconceptions. We have to understand that when a woman is raped she is only the victim of it and the rapist is the only responsible for that despicable act: she was outraged against her will. The main problem here is that our society teaches women to avoid getting raped instead of teaching men not to

Similar to how value is assigned based on appearance and sexual accessibility, virginal status is the third method of evaluation for women. Although there is no set medical definition for the term, virginity it is still used as a gauge to measure a woman’s self-worth (Valenti 182). For instance, numerous Christian-affiliated, conservative institutions equate virginity to morality and weave this comparison into their abstinence-only educational programs (Valenti 183). This standard also completely narrows the field of what it means to be moral. Thus, a woman is only of good moral standing (or in other words, pure) if she remains a virgin. Moreover, this restriction on expressing sexuality encourages passive behavior amongst women. In addition, linking a woman’s ethics to her body reinforces the double standard related to sexuality between men and women. Ultimately, being sexual is “stigmatized in women, but encouraged in men” (Heldman, Part 2). This double standard, combined with the expectations of passivity, reinforces the concept of rape culture. Women are expected to refrain from sex in order to embody purity and thus, are defined by what they do not do. Meanwhile, men are encouraged to express their sexuality and therefore serve as the actors in society. Furthermore, rape culture is reinforced through the media’s images of sexual objectification. As seen on a Duncan Quin

Amidst the intense Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and put in solitary confinement for peacefully protesting racial discrimination and injustice in Birmingham, Alabama. It was during this time that Dr. King, refusing to sit idly by, wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” one of the most inspiring documents in history. With his respectful nature, humility, compassion, optimism, and determination, King responded to a group of white Alabama clergymen who had condemned the civil rights protests as extreme in their open letter, “A Call for Unity.” Although his letter was directed towards a small group of eight men, his words eventually reached the minds and hearts of the entire country. Throughout the letter, Dr. King does a tremendous job of supporting his argument with the three elements of Aristotle’s rhetorical appeal. He ended up creating a very persuasive letter, one that effectively uses ethos in establishing his character, logos in providing reason and logic, and pathos in reaching human emotions.

Inside and beyond the myth and the social impact of the subject as One or Substance.

Harriet Jacobs and Sojourner Truth are women who face adversity categorized in an invisible sub-group, making it difficult for black women to compete in the world. This sub-group is known as intersectionality. Black women struggle with the perception being inferior placing them at the bottom of the social class. Jacobs and Truth, however, share their experiences to other men and women allowing them to be aware of this invisible group. They willingly chose to speak out against this discrimination. In doing so, they deal with scolding looks of men as well as dealing with the harsh critics’ opinions of their narratives. Jacobs’ narrative and Truths speech allows other slave women to not be discouraged by the mere fact that their skin was of color. With that said, they strive to build the confidence to fight for the equality of all women. Harriet Jacobs and Sojourner Truth reflects the phenomenon of intersectionality through their confidence and willingness to fight for

In order to even be considered prospective mistresses must expend “well over three ounces of silver,” while improved social-standing is far from guaranteed (598). The woman then goes on to explain that the ladies in these positions were not especially safe from men “who prey on women applicants to amuse themselves” (598). Through this description of the manner in which men sexually assault women, the readers become more aware of the plight that these applicant women face when they may have otherwise not have

Harriet Jacobs’s tone on her work was forthright. By this I mean that she was direct in other words that she was frank and that she did not hesitate when she shared all of the tragedies that she went through. Jacob’s tone can also be described as reflective, and by this I mean that she illustrated all of her inner thoughts or her personal thoughts and mainly all of her personal emotions.

Every year, rape costs the United States more than any other crime resulting in a total of $127 billion and $93 billion for sexual assault. Over the course of the past few months, we have heard numerous cases of sexual violence and abuse; these cases are astonishing because this is not something that should be ignored or dismissed. The stories told by victims have caught the attention of all people because it has become very prevalent in our society today. Countless women have been silenced by the authority of men, and these women have become too scared to speak out and seek accountability. This has gone on for too long and it has become less about sexual harassment but also about the abuse of power, especially

Michael M. vs Superior Court is the case that brought gender-neutrality in the criminal justice system to the light. Before this case was presented to the court, few states had adopted a gender-neutral statutory rape case and California, where the case took place, was not among them. The defense argued that California’s rape laws went against the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Then there was case of Mary Kay Letourneau, a former schoolteacher that was engaging in a sexual relationship with her 12 year old student. Letourneau was sentenced to 6 moths in jail while Michael M. received 10 years. It’s split into two sides when it comes to the topic of statutory rape and the equality of those involved. Some see it as almost coddling

The R.v. Ewanchuck (1999) case is a case that shook the Canadian criminal justice system and is considered by feminists a victory because the judge’s decision reflected rape myths and the case is being praised with addressing rape myths in the criminal justice system. The details of the case are; Ewanchuck invited a 17 year- old woman into his van for a job interview ( Dumont, 1999, p. 102-109). After the job interview concluded, Ewanchuck insisted that the woman see his paintings, which were in a trailer behind the van ( Dumont, 1999, p. 102-109). Ewanchuck then took the woman inside the trailer and began to make a series of sexual advances ( Dumont, 1999, p. 102-109). Every time, the woman would say “no” Ewanchuck would stop and then continue

Sexual assault is complex, guileful and ubiquitous. The criminal justice system is expected to deliver a sense that justice has been done, yet its current response is inadequate for the large majority of sexual assault victims. Victims of sexual assault have historically been met with denial and disbelief, with society failing to develop an adequate response to a crime. In recent decades, hard won improvements - called for by reformers and feminists, and implemented by well-intentioned governments - have seen sexual assault taken more seriously in legal and political arenas alike. Investigation, prosecution and court procedures have improved; specialization has been encouraged; and victims have been provided with fairer treatment and additional

“Now piercèd is her virgin zone; she feels the foe within it. She hears a broken amorous groan, the panting lover 's fainting moan, just in the happy minute”(Jon W.). Women are raised in a battlefield; they are taught to rely on men to protect them because they cannot protect themselves. This is an insult to many women everywhere, and it is a problem with society. If women were portrayed and viewed more independent, we could change the world we live in. “Only women can put a stop to the “open season” on women by strangers”(The Writer’s Presence PG:813). The author Leslie Silko, believes a different life for women is just around the corner.

Victim-blaming has been in the limelight within society for centuries, yet women are still asked whether the “unwanted sexual comments or advances” (Curtis, 1974, p.594-605) from men was their fault. This assignment will critically evaluate the influence that victimology and positivism has made to our understanding of sexual assault. It will first consider key ideas about why sexual assault victims are blamed for their ordeal, the key ideas from a selection of theorists within criminology, such as Wolfgang, Von Hentig, and Marshall and Barbarees will be selected upon. The third part of my assignment will compare and contrast these key ideas to identify whether our understanding of sexual assault has improved due to the critical assessment of theories.

In Mark Twain’s short story “The Story of the Good Little Boy” he describes a little boy being good by trying to make the bad little boys became good resulting in himself being bad. Twain's real name is Samuel Clemens and he worked at many jobs when he was eleven to help support his family when his father died. He was trained to be a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River and piloted boats professionally. This story is about Jacob Blivens who always obeys his parents and was a good boy who studies books and school. His Sunday-school book is his guide to became a good little boy when he tries to help the bad little boys to become good but it always got him in trouble. Jacob dies trying to do the right things just like in the Sunday-school books and prepared so much good to happen that he wasn’t able to successfully achieve anything. By using the critical strategy formalism helps identify why foreshadowing, point of view, and characterisation to explain the story. When you try to help someone you eventually get pulled into the bad that they are doing. That is what this story is all about.