TOW #24- IRB second half- The Final TOW

       One man's trash is another man's treasure-- but why is that?  What makes that treasure so valuable to one person, but not the other?  According to Jonathan Franzen, the factor of value is time.  In his essay "Scavenging," Franzen uses a number of personal anecdotes and a contrast between old and modern to explore the interest of thrift, and validate his own reasons for holding on to obsolete things.
     To introduce the idea, Franzen recalls a visit he payed to the Mercer Museum, where he runs into an old rotary telephone labeled "Obsolete Telephone."  Through this memory, he is able to transition to his own thoughts and feelings on the subject of outdated items.  When Franzen realized that the exact phone "still served proudly in [his] living room," he felt insulted by the artifact's title.   However, at the end of the essay, when he evaluates his reasons for still owning this phone, he comes to the conclusion that it is because the item has value to him.  By stating his initial feelings about the situation through an anecdote,  Franzen is not only able to reflect, but he is able to gain authority through a sort of counter to his final thoughts.
     In addition to his use of anecdotes, Franzen maintains a strong contrast between old and new.  As the focus of his piece, 'the outdated' is viewed from the thrift-loving eyes of Franzen, ultimately supporting the ownership of old belongings.  Upon his discovery of his telephone in the Mercer Museum, Franzen defends that he had "used the telephone to order computer peripherals" not long ago.  Almost ironically,  Franzen contrasts the supposedly claimed "obsolete" telephone with his modern-like actions.  By juxtaposing the past and the present, he is able to make his argument clear to the reader; the internal argument that is going on within him at that very moment in the museum.
     Besides the financial benefits of holding onto old fashioned objects, the only other explanations are dependent on the beholder.  In his essay "Scavenging," Jonathan Franzen includes personal anecdotes and a contrast between past and modern things in order to explore his own motives for never letting go of dated objects.  In the end, a 'thing' will always just be a 'thing', however, the past will never stop turning into the present.

TOW #23- Non fiction Text 2

     To most teenagers, turning 18 means being a legal adult and possibly moving out.  Yet there is still one other privilege that is often overlooked by the other glories of adulthood: the right to vote.  Voting is an important factor of American life, and always has been viewed with value.  It is something that our past has fought for, even risked their lives for.  So why does the youth view voting as such an afterthought?  In order to use our rights to fullest capacity and choose the best suited government for our people, we must re-inspire the youth to vote.
     When we put our ballot in the box, not only do we help the country reach a decision, but we also help our own sense of decision making.  Teenage and early adult years are designed for learning how to make decisions, and deciding who will run a country is an important conclusion to come to. In the 19th century, politics were the youth's main passion.  Riots and violent protests would roar with young voices expressing what they want; it gave them something to be enthusiastic about.  Today, however, the majority of 18 year olds are not standing outside of government buildings with torches and pitchforks.
    The relationship between politics and young people is a symbiotic one: they both benefit from each other.  Just as the youth gains from political experience and becoming more decisive, politics gain the youth's input.  When these voices are not heard, the people are unsatisfied with their country: but when a voice never speaks, it is impossible to be heard.  If upcoming generations choose not to vote, then politicians can not know what they are looking for in a government.  And when a country's people and government are on separate pages, there is no way to get anything accomplished.  If anything, it can be a major setback.
     Communication between the youth and its potential candidates is a right we were given a long time ago; it is just time we put it back into good use.   In order to revive our rights and get the most out of our government, the youth must realize the value of voting.  It's time that teenagers start looking forward to their 18th birthday.  But not for the reason of going to college, or being able to participate in adult activities- instead, for the right to vote.


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/opinion/campaign-stops/virgins-booze-and-american-elections.html?ribbon-ad-idx=12&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=origin&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article

TOW #22- Visual Text

     For many, becoming a parent is a lifelong dream: carrying the baby, taking care of it, and then watching the child grow.   But for others, becoming a parent is not a part of their life plan. 

     Most questions about a pregnancy can be answered easily by a doctor: what to eat, how to exercise, and how to stay safe are all covered in a prenatal visit.  However, there is one gray area that is based on moral rather than fact: abortion.  This is the alternative that many question when a pregnancy was never in the picture.  For this reason, abortion is often the heated topic of many politic debates, making major headlines in today's news.  The conflict, between liberals and conservatives, considers when the life of a baby really begins, and whether it is ever justified to end this life.  Yet, shouldn't the woman who carries the baby have a word in this conversation? While a life may technically begin at the moment of conception, it is ultimately the woman's decision as to whether a pregnancy will be terminated or not, making abortion a necessary component not just for a woman's life, but in a human's life as well. 

     When planning for a baby, factors such as finance, genetics, and lifestyle must be taken into consideration before making such a big commitment.  Unfortunately, in some cases such as rape victims, incest, and just plain accident, there is no choice provided to the woman.  Many conservative arguments claim that the baby is never given any say in an abortion, but this is beside the point when the baby's mother was lacking the same voice.