Reflective analysis
I found myself super excited to take this class. I didn't know what to expect, exactly, but I knew it would involve writing and just prayed, to sweet baby Jesus, it wouldn't require me to write any form of science fiction. Thankfully, my prayers were answered, and I gained far more than I could've ever imagined when I signed up for this class. I've always been an avid reader, and my favorite classes have always been English and Art. Growing up, I excelled at persuasive writing. It didn't matter the topic, even if I didn't agree with it, I could nail it, every time. I'm pretty certain everyone thought I was destined for a life of sales, law, or crime. Turns out, I am terrible at sales, I married an attorney (I still win all the arguments!), and I get anxious over a speeding ticket, so a life of crime is not in the cards for me! However, what I did find is an art degree and, this semester, I found that passion for persuasive writing that was put away so long ago.
Starting with the Rhetorical Analysis, we learned about Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. These are the methods of persuasion used to build a compelling argument. Honestly, these are things that I innately learned growing up, by observation, but I never actually knew there are technical terms and techniques for persuasion, so dissecting Martin Seligman's TED talk was incredibly eye opening and informative. Prior to understanding the art of persuasion, I would write a persuasive paper as if it were a monologue. It would be compelling, engaging, persuasive, but I wouldn't be able to tell you what, where, or if pathos, ethos, or logos was used. The thought process was all heart and passion and contained no rhyme, reason, or actual technique. Since learning about ethos, pathos, and logos, and dissecting the TED talk for the Rhetorical Analysis, I've consciously started working on recognizing these methods and even implemented the methods in the Proposal Argument and the Passion Project.
In the very next project, the Proposal Argument, I proposed a community program that would introduce Positive Psychology to youth and adolescents in order to combat the mental health crisis in our community. In the very first sentence of the first paragraph, I immediately used pathos and followed with logos the very next sentence.
"The majority of Americans are familiar, or will become familiar, with mental health illness during their lifetime. Some have struggled with their mental health and experienced the obstacles firsthand, and some will have a close friend or family member that struggles with their mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “In 2022, there were an estimated 59.3 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with AMI. This number represented 23.1% of all U.S. adults.” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024)."