Author: cestelle

RR 3 – Barclay

In Barclay’s article concerning Coronavirus/COVID-19, I think one of the most interesting points concerns the number of ventilators. Based off of estimates of previous flu pandemics in the United States, we should technically have enough ventilators to cover everyone. On the other hand, based off of the estimates of the Spanish flu pandemic we definitely do not have enough (Barclay 2020). This brings up the hard question of who gets the ventilators and who does not when it comes down to having to choose. On one hand, we should provide ventilators to people who are the most likely to survive and help them get better more quickly, such as young people with no preexisting conditions. On the other hand, we should provide ventilators to people who need them the most, such as the elderly or people with preexisting respiratory conditions. This brings up a moral dilemma that I am glad I do not have to make a decision about.

Another interesting point that Barclay brought up in their article was about the importance of social distancing and self-isolation. As Emily Landon explained, while young people are not as likely to be severely affected by this disease, we still need to stay in isolation so as not to spread it to others who are more vulnerable (Barclay 2020). Though it is hard, it is definitely the right thing to do. While it is difficult to not be around friends, my family recently encountered a difficult decision regarding self-quarantine. Because it is Easter weekend, we were planning on my older brother to come home and spend the weekend with us. We had to make the tough decision to tell him not to come because it is not essential and while he may not be putting us at risk, we could be putting him at risk. My dad is still required to go into work every day and is worried about bringing something home to us. While we want my older brother to come home, it would be awful if we gave him something that he then spread it to his roommate and so forth.

Works Cited

Barclay, Eliza, and Dylan Scott. “How Canceled Events and Self-Quarantines Save Lives, in One Chart.” Vox, Vox, 10 Mar. 2020, www.vox.com/2020/3/10/21171481/coronavirus-us-cases-quarantine-cancellation.

 

Reading Response 2

A graphic memoir is a narrative genre that is able to combine visual forms with text forms in order to preset information in a unique way. By including this imagery in addition to text, Dunlap-Shohl is able to communicate his personal journey through Parkinson’s that people from all types of backgrounds can relate to. By utilizing various fonts, speech bubbles, contrasting colors, and spacing, Dunlap-Shohl presents Parkinson’s Disease in a way people have not seen before.

One of the first differences I noticed between the graphic memoir and a novel was the use of bolding words. When looking at the graphic memoir, there are many words bolded on each page, something not commonly seen within novels. On pages 32 and 33, there are many bold words which seem to fit into two categories. The first category I see the words fitting into are words that are related to strong emotions and feelings. These words include “despair”, “fear”, “loathing”, “sanity”, and “mad.” On the other hand, some words seem to be bolded to represent which words are emphasized in thoughts or conversations. For example, Dunlap-Shohl’s though bubble on page 32 reads “But it was more than just what she said. It was also the conviction in her voice” (Dunlap-Shohl, 32).

In addition to Dunlap-Shohl’s use of font, color also plays an important role in how ideas are represented. When personifying Parkinson’s Disease, Dunlap-Shohl uses a light green color. Though green can be used to represent nature and harmony, it also has negative connotations like envy, sickness, and disease. Dunlap-Shohl used the same color green when depicting his negative side on page 53. Because he has the same green skin as Parkinson’s, I believe this shows that he sees his disease and as well as himself (in that particular moment) as monsters.

Another important part of graphic memoirs is spacing. While the variety of spacing techniques keep me interested as a reader, I believe they also have a deeper meaning. Some of the illustrations, such as the one on page 58 depicting him falling off a ladder, are large and are meant to grab your attention right away while others are much smaller and compact. When Dunlap-Shohl explains his process of learning to use the computer to illustrate on page 42, the boxes seem smaller than many of the other ones. I believe this is because it makes the reader slow down. During this scene, Dunlap-Shohl is frustrated with learning the new program because it takes such a long time. By using the small boxes, it takes the reader a much longer time to read this page compared to other pages with larger images.

Overall, Dunlap-Shohl portrays his journey though Parkinson’s Disease in a new light. From fonts and speech bubbles to color choice and box size, Dunlap-Shohl keeps the reader entertained while also including hidden meanings.

Sources

  1. Dunlap-Shohl, Peter. My Degeneration: a Journey through Parkinson’s. The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2016.

Reading Response to Berger’s A Fortunate Man

Charlotte Grush 

Julio Villa-Palomino

ANTH 272

January 26th, 2020

While reading Henry Berger’s A Fortunate Man, I noticed the majority of the piece regarding the man crushed under a tree was neither really focused on the injured man or the doctor, it was focused around the other woodmen who were present at the scene. Though the woodmen provide the context of the accident to the doctor, they way they view the doctor plays a much more important role in the narrative. For example, near the beginning they view the doctor as an important figure who can help save their friend and his arrival is referred to as an advent. Further along in the story the doctor is described as an accomplice and they seem to lose faith in the doctor. In fact, the last sentence states “But every time they noticed the place they questioned whether the doctor could be right” ( Berger and Mohr 19). There was also a shift in the way the other woodmen viewed the man trapped under the tree. The woodmen originally viewed the man as someone who needed help but as you read further they seem to view the man as someone who brought this injury upon himself. The woodmen had very little sympathy for this man the longer the doctor worked on him and even started placing blame on the injured man. The focus on the woodmen in the story shows how illness is not something just between the doctor and patient, it is something experienced by everyone around them. 

 

Works cited

 

Berger, John, and Jean Mohr. A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor. Vintage Books, 1997.