How to Write with Style by Kurt Vonnegut, is an article to attract readers based on the style of writing you choose to do. Vonnegut is author or several novels like Slaughterhouse-Five, Jailbird, and Cat's Cradle. He wrote this article as a request from International Paper asking how to put style and personality into writing.
Vonnegut used 8 steps to make a more appealing paper for a vast audience, in particular tip number 1 "Find a topic you care about" (Vonnegut, 66). This is a very important step, when you find something you do care about then you are more compled to write about it, and you will be able to put your own flare and personality into what you write.
Tip number 2 "Do not ramble thought" (Vonnegut, 66), if you have no interest in what you are writing then your chances of rambling on about something unrelated or uninteresting is bound to happen. I would like to point out that I do not have a particular interest in this article but the tips that are given have been useful in my ability to write my essay.
Vonnegut's point in writing this was to grab people's attention about how you chose to write everything from a letter to an essay. I personally found this article useful, and intend to use these tips to better my style of writing.
What tip are you willing to use to better your own material?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Whats the point?
In Yuki Tanaka's Japan's Kamikaze Pilots And Contemporary Suicide Bombers: War And Terror she draws people of all ages by reflecting on the war between Japan and the US, more importantly the suicide bombers that the Japanese had used and sacrificed to defend themselves against the US.
Tanaka is attempting to grab our attention by informing us that most of the suicide bombers that were used in the war were young university and college students. It is true that these students were recruited "on a voluntary basis" (Tanaka 294) but I have to wonder if they were really volunteering or if someone was putting pressure on them to fight in the war.
Tanaka made it clear that it wasn't really their emperor they showed loyalty to but to the mothers of those fighting "the belief that to die for the "country" was [to] show filial piety to one's own parents, particularly to one's mother" (Tanaka 296). This further makes me believe that it is infact the parents that convince their children to fight in the war.
By making a comparison to Kamikaze pilots and Palestinian suicide bombers, Tanaka makes a point in saying that "one important difference stems from the fact that kamikaze attacks were implemented and legitimized by the military regime of a nation-state, while "terrorists suicide bombing" is generally planned and authorized by organizations outside a state structure" (Tanaka 298).
Tanaka's essay made me wonder why someone would volunteer themselves as a suicide bomber? How could you enjoy life when you know that at any time you will be giving up your life. How can you make peace with that knowledge? I for one know that I couldn't imagine volunteering myself as a suicide bomber.
Tanaka is attempting to grab our attention by informing us that most of the suicide bombers that were used in the war were young university and college students. It is true that these students were recruited "on a voluntary basis" (Tanaka 294) but I have to wonder if they were really volunteering or if someone was putting pressure on them to fight in the war.
Tanaka made it clear that it wasn't really their emperor they showed loyalty to but to the mothers of those fighting "the belief that to die for the "country" was [to] show filial piety to one's own parents, particularly to one's mother" (Tanaka 296). This further makes me believe that it is infact the parents that convince their children to fight in the war.
By making a comparison to Kamikaze pilots and Palestinian suicide bombers, Tanaka makes a point in saying that "one important difference stems from the fact that kamikaze attacks were implemented and legitimized by the military regime of a nation-state, while "terrorists suicide bombing" is generally planned and authorized by organizations outside a state structure" (Tanaka 298).
Tanaka's essay made me wonder why someone would volunteer themselves as a suicide bomber? How could you enjoy life when you know that at any time you will be giving up your life. How can you make peace with that knowledge? I for one know that I couldn't imagine volunteering myself as a suicide bomber.
Tanaka, Y. (2008). Japan’s kamikaze pilots and contemporary suicide bombers.
In Ackley, K., Blank, G., & Hume, S. (Eds). Perspectives on contemporary
issues. (p 294-298). Toronto: Nelson.
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