What stood out to me the most was on the first page. I knew how important a thesis was but I never thought about having a strong or weak thesis. A strong thesis is such an important part to a paper because it questions an idea, allowing the writer to back it up with information. After reading this chapter about the importance of a thesis statement, I feel like I've learned a better way to approach writing one. I feel like my thesis from my last paper does a great job addressing my paper and idea.

1983

The thing that struck out to me the most in the videos/readings was how the music videos were able to convey the message of being or becoming a non-stereotypical girl in the 1980's. The music videos were able to relate the lifestyles of how the typical girl/woman was supposed to be in the 80's to the rebellious but independent self. I had never heard of Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar and at times it was a little confusing, but ultimately it conveys the message that a girl can also do what she wants to do, whether it be for the good or bad. However, both of the videos are persuasive in the fact that they show that girls can be independent and making their own decisions, especially at this time when the videos were released. 

To me the video that had the strongest and most compelling message was Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar. This had a greater message because it showed the transformation of a girl who was living with her family to her living on her own trying to figure out how to make it by herself. This music video implies that anyone (especially girls) at this time have the right to make their own decisions and can do whatever they want and desire.

The music video I chose to write about is Kids by MGMT. Without watching the music video you would probably think that it is a very catchy and chill song talking about childhood and growing up. However there are a lot of claims that could be made about the song/music video. One claim is that the babies shown throughout are not able to trust anyone/anything. And another claim that the video is making is that the one person that the baby should be able to trust and have confidence in, the mother, is always being distracted or not paying attention to the baby. Yes, thinking about which of the two music videos have a more compelling message and why definitely makes you think about what is so significant about the music video you are writing. 

TV vs. MTV

When I watch TV, I usually do not watch anything besides ESPN or the news. I like to watch whatever is on ESPN whether it is a football game or sportscenter. A majority of the commercials revolve around men and the products that appeal to them. Such advertisements include different type of apparel or fan gear, beer or alcohol related drinks, tailgating equipment, and men's products such as shaving creme or deodorant. These commercials focus on the average male fan for all different ages. 

Whenever I am not watching ESPN, I usually check the news either nationally or locally. The audience is different depending on whether it is the local news or the national news. The local news has commercials focused on an audience in or near the region it is being broadcasted so local businesses can get their advertisements out. However, national news such as CNN and Fox News have huge audiences allowing big companies to advertise their products or services. The local commercials focus on the community and region that the product or service is in while the national commercials focus on everybody because the companies are so big that a majority of the people have access to the product or service.

Barbie Essay

One thing that I never knew about Barbie, was that there are SO many different types and that there are a multitude of collectors. Before this essay I honestly didn't have any feelings for Barbie. The only thing I can remember about Barbie before this essay is that a lot of girls when I was younger loved playing with Barbie and getting all of the new ones and accessories for her. I thought one of the most important parts of this essay was the point that "It's about reliving good memories and helping people get back a bit of their childhood." There are many reasons people collect Barbie dolls but this really stuck out to me. Im not the biggest fan of Barbie but reading this essay made me open up and realize that to some people Barbie collecting is a hobby that they enjoying doing. I believe this essay will help me become a better thinker and writer because it goes into great detail about a simple concept a doll. And if someone can write about Barbie and how she is so important than I can write about something small and make it interesting.

The Last Stop

In The Last Stop, Brian Cable describes what a funeral home looks like and what a funeral director is supposed to do. Cable recalls all of the details about the house and what the funeral director is supposed to look like. His assumption of the place was that it was going to a be very different from a regular building but really all it is a plain old building just like any other. Cable talks about his visit throughout the his essay as he explains what he sees. Through this new experience Cable recounts several of the of rooms he saw such as the room where they restored the bodies or the room where you could purchase the coffins. He assumed that going to the funeral home was going to be boring but actually after touring the place and seeing it in person Cable thought different because of the service it does for people. Most people never want to go to a morgue for any reason but it is a simple part of our society and a way of life. 

I think Cable did a great job of writing about an experience that was out of his comfort zone and explained it very well. He used a lot of details describing where he was and how it looked to make us feel as if we were there. This is a great essay to read before we start our paper because it is an essay about someone getting way out of their comfort zone and writing in detail about it.

Clothing as a text

Looking at myself, others could view me in many ways. The way I dress is one of them. I dress as another typical fraternity pledge with a tucked in polo and pants but realistically, I like wearing other clothing that also describes my personality. I like wearing casual clothing such as t-shirts and shorts, athletic clothing such as gym shorts and a t-shirt and even nicer clothes such as khaki pants and a long sleeved buttoned down polo. Depending on what I am feeling that day, people could view me as either a more relaxed person with casual clothing, athletic (or aspiring to be) with gym shorts, or a serious person with nicer clothes. No matter what I decide to wear, people still have some type of opinion. I don't try to change who I am to fit into society, but sometimes it seems as if society tries to influence people to change who they are.