Rhetorical Blogging # 2

While reading Tattoo Crazy and We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee, I found it extremely interesting how both author’s were able to turn such a personal and thoughtful essay into an essay that contained both personal thoughts and research. Without the detail and personalization that Parker used in, We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee it would not have been as fun to read. Simply reading about information on Starbuck’s Coffee and how it came to be would not be as interesting.

I think one thing that really helps engage the reader is the way that the essay is outlined. The outline of this essay is more than just a research paper; it’s an added opinion that coincides with the topic. The author of We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee does a good job of using detailed descriptions of how the relationship between her and her father and really personalized how it made her feel. She worked at changing paragraphs. By changing paragraphs she was able to go back and forth from researched information to her description and personal narrative. I found that a discovery essay can be hard to write for multiple reasons. Some writers have a hard time balancing between their research and their personal experience.

“With each sip, the warmth of the latte or the sweet flavoring of the frappuccino made this place become more than just a coffee shop because it did not just contain quality coffee, but quality conversations with my dad as well…

The Phenomenon of Starbucks began in 1971…”

Here the author switches off as she swaps from her personal experience between her and her dad to the informational research that she found. If the author were to continue to talk about her personal experience it wouldn’t flow with the outline of the essay.

In Tattoo Crazy the author also does a good job at balancing between telling her personal experience and switching to informational research. One thing that really caught my eye and made her essay completely different from the othe is that the information and personal experience weaved into one another when it came to organizing her essay. Although it sounds confusing, it really worked out well for a topic that wasn’t as interesting to me.

“I always had the idea that tattoos were for bikers and gang members; they “became associated with marginalized groups, signaling time spent in jail, punk status, membership in a motorcycle gang or a traveling circus” (Farah)

Here in this quote she really weaves her information into her own personal thoughts and experience. Because it is weaved into itself, it really makes it a lot easier for me as the reader to understand where she’s coming from. It’s almost like she immediately backing up her information with evidence. Getting into the informational part of the story became confusing when she brought up all the negative aspects of getting a tattoo. After naming multiple cons to getting a tattoo she immediately states that she “finally decided that a tattoo”. I feel as if she started to contradict what she believed in and went against the information she found. By doing this it not only confused me but also made me wonder if getting a tattoo really made her happy?

The second essay I read about was really helpful when it came to thinking about how I am going to outline my essay and the importance of forming some kind of structure. It is obvious between the two papers that the structure is the most important thing. Without balanced paragraphs between the research that I find and my personal experience, the essay it would be hard to keep the reader interested.