Remixing Rhetoric Blog

Project Proposal

Melissa — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:50:39 +0000

There is much concern and debate about whether contemporary American children, specifically young girls, are being negatively influenced by Mattel’s Barbie dolls. In recent years, there have been a great deal of controversy because of the appearance of certain Barbie dolls, the racial implications of some ethnic dolls, and the racy image that Barbie is impressing upon young girls who adore them.

One plausible solution to the Barbie controversy would be for parents to get involved. They need to clearly play a role in their children’s choice of Barbie dolls and help them along in their learning process. Although Barbie is only a toy, it can have a very power impact on the way young girls begin to view life as well as how they view themselves. Parents need to educate their kids by telling them what is real and what is just pretend. When parents see that their kids are beginning to copy the way Barbie dresses or when parents see that there are some specific issues that are brought up because of the Barbie (such as race, pregnancy, dating, etc.), parents should talk to their children and answer any questions that their kids might have about these topics.

Many people quickly turn to suing Mattel, the company that makes Barbie. However, this is not very effective. Although some cases may get the doll taken off shelves, in the end, Barbie dolls do more good than bad. They provide a creative outlet for children to learn and play with real life situations, such as occupations, families, and school. While some believe that certain Barbie dolls are too provocative or do not accurately portray a specific race, this is where parents and guardians come into play. After all, Barbie is only a doll and Mattel is only producing a toy for kids to play, so parents need to be the foundation for their kids’ learning.

To present this proposal, I will make a video that includes various mediums. I will integrate actual Barbie dolls to act out some main points along with audio, music, and text. I won’t be spending any extra money on this project and time shouldn’t be too much of an issue. This project can easily be done without much extensive preparation. Some resources that i may consider using are iMovie, GarageBand, and Keynote.

Memory Assignment

Melissa — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:56:22 +0000

One particular memory that always sticks in my mind is the death of my grandfather. I was ten years old at the time and it was New Year’s Eve when my dad first got the call from my grandmother asking him to come to their house and take my grandfather to the hospital. I remember exactly what i was doing that night and what happened the next morning. It was all so unexpected and i had never known anyone who died before, so the death of my grandfather was very significant.

One of the reasons why this memory is so deeply embedded in my mind is the uniqueness of the date on which he died. My grandfather died on January 1, 2001 (01/01/01). Every year when New Year’s Eve rolls around, I have that memory in my mind. Although over the course of years i have grown to accept what happened and have come to realize he is in fact in a better place, the thought never ceases to resurface.

I was also able to learn something from my grandfather’s death. I realized that i often take things for granted. Many times, i don’t grasp how much i love someone until they are gone. My grandfather was a joyful man of little words but his hardworking character and willingness to serve was undeniable. I don’t think i spent enough time with him or expressed my appreciation for him enough. This is a stark reminder that people do die and they could pass at anytime. We may not have even another day with them, so it really makes me think twice about snapping at someone or holding grudges. There just aren’t enough days in our lives to harbor anger or be apathetic. The death of my grandfather taught me the value of family and life, in general and to not take either for granted.

Remix Rhetorical Analysis

Melissa — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 04:29:27 +0000

Rhetorical Analysis Remix

Arrangement Assignment

Melissa — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:54:09 +0000

In the book, People & Words by James Burl Hogins, the author writes one chapter specifically about organization. He breaks down the three major components of a typical essay: introductions, transitions, and conclusions. He uses creative cartoons to help better illustrate his point. One specific piece of evidence that stood out was the way he describes an essay’s conclusion. Hogins asks, “What is the sound of your conclusion–a bang? a whimper? a dull thud? Does it have a sound?” (Hogins 63). These questions were followed by a series of pictures describing the different types of conclusions that can be written. The comparison of a conclusion to sound is interesting in that it really depicts the impact that a conclusion should have on the reader. The conclusion should be memorable and leave the reader with some thing to take from the piece they just read. Just as when you hear the sound of a balloon pop you are likely to be frightened, the type of “sound” your conclusion gives off leaves the reader or audience with a certain emotions about whatever it is you wrote or created. So in relation to the assignments that we are to do in for this class, conclusions for our final assignment should also be memorable, clear, and leave the audience with an overall feeling for the piece.

Hogins, James B. People & Words. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1972. Print.

Rhetorical Analysis

Melissa — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:12:23 +0000

This YouTube video presents the self-proclaimed “product guru” Mike Mozart, talking about Mattel’s Pregnant Midge Doll. This doll that is apparently Barbie’s good friend and part of Mattel’s Happy Family Toy Doll line, is nine months pregnant. There was much controversy with this doll when it came out in 2002. Questions arose of whether this doll, which like many other Barbie dolls, can influence the young girls who play with it and there were debates that this might promote teen pregnancy, since this doll shows such a pain-free and easy method of giving birth, which is nothing like the real thing.

The first rhetorical aspect of this YouTube video is the name of all the types of videos like this that Mike Mozart makes. He calls this series of videos, “Fail Toys” which already expresses his opinion on this Pregnant Midge doll that he is talking about. With a name like “Fail Toys,” it already shows that he thinks that these dolls are a joke. In the side summary of the video, he even calls these toys “a bizarre fail.” This is already rhetorically stating that Mike Mozart views these dolls to be ridiculous and in his actual video, he continues to expand on the different aspects of the Pregnant Midge doll that he believes provides an extremely inaccurate portrayal of pregnancy.

The next rhetorical aspect of the “Fail Toys” video is Mike Mozart’s sarcastic tone. His exaggerated tone of voice shows that he thinks Mattel’s doll is simply unrealistic and just wrong. Around the 32-second mark, Mike Mozart says that only in the Barbie World would a woman who is nine months pregnant look so “perfectly made-up and content.” This comment along with his facial expression conveys his disbelief at how unreal this doll is. Clearly, this doll is an unrealistic representation of a pregnant woman and it can give young girls the wrong idea of the true process of a pregnancy. This doll just glorifies the positives of having a baby but does not show the true work and pain that a woman must go through in order to give birth to a child.

This then leads to Mike Mozart saying that there’s “no pain, no screaming” and he pretends to be the voice of the Midge doll bickering and yelling for the epidural. The music in the background is like that from a horror film as he goes in to take the baby out of the dolls shell belly that is attached to the doll by magnets. There isn’t even an umbilical cord. Again, his pointing this out is another indicator that he obviously does not believe this doll realistically portrays the process of having a baby and all the pain that is involved. This becomes a problem when young girls play with this doll and can magnetically put the stomach shell back onto the Midge doll over and over again not realizing that there are real consequences and much responsibility that come with having a baby.

Although many of these points are valid and Mike Mozart and the “Fail Toys” videos have good reason to laugh at or point out the many errors of this doll, in the end, it is in fact only a doll. Parents should be the ones telling their children about the process of childbirth and the responsibilities that come with getting pregnant and having a baby. Although Mattel’s Pregnant Midge doll brings up a lot of controversy, it’s important to note that parents should not leave their kids alone to be taught by a doll. They need to take part in their learning process as well. Midge, along with all the other Barbie dolls are meant to stimulate real life concepts, not to explicitly demonstrate the exact processes, like child-birth—that would be too graphic. These are dolls that are supposed to give children props that imitate real-world situations so they can express their creativity in playing pretend, given that hopefully as they grow older they will then learn the exact and real ways that things happen in life. The young girls that play with these Barbie dolls are in their early stages of life and development and they just want something fun to help stimulate their imagination.

“Pregnant Barbie Doll Funny Video Review Mike Mozart of Funny JeepersMedia Video Channel on YouTube.” YouTube. 26 Mar. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MgHAeYuYEg>.

Annotated Source List

Melissa — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:26:38 +0000

Overview of Barbie This article goes through the history and creation of Barbie and also encompasses the many controversies that have risen throughout the decades. This article has an implicit rhetorical connection in that it simply provides a summary of Barbie and its impact on society since its birth. It gives two views of the Barbie doll—mothers who would never buy the doll for their children and mothers who believe it allows for creativity and expression for their children. The main argument of this article is that Barbie has had its good time as well as its bad times, but regardless, Barbie is continuing to be a huge success and being sold all over the world.

McDonough, Yona Z. “Barbie (Doll).” New York Times. 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/info/barbie/?scp=1-spot&sq=Barbie&st=cse>.

Tattoos I chose this article while searching for controversies that arose with the marketing of Barbie dolls. This article shows how the tattoos have “pushed social limits” and it shows the view that these tattoos allow the young girls to “express themselves.” This article has an explicit rhetorical connection in that it persuades its audience to believe that there is an actual controversy because of these tattoos. The cultural significance is that the children who play with this “Totally Stylin’ Tattoos” Barbie could be affected by the image this doll portrays.

“New Tattoo Barbie Causes Controversy Among Parents.” Greensboro News, Weather | Winston-Salem, High Point, Piedmont Triad | digtriad.com. 4 Mar. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. <http://www.digtriad.com/news/features/article.aspx?storyid=120212&catid=216>.

50 years of controversy I chose this blog post while searching for controversies that arose over the course of the 50 years of Barbie’s existence. This blog post shows how ever since the launch of the first Barbie, there have been many controversies with the different type of Barbie dolls that were created. This blog documents the different controversies that arose over the years and it has an explicit rhetorical connection because it persuades society that there are many issues that have been brought up because of the way Barbie was marketed to consumers. The main argument of this post is to show how Mattel showed racial stereotypes, encouraged teen pregnancy and promiscuity, and stimulated irresponsible consumerism.

“Barbie: 50 Years of Controversy.” Web log post. Stilettorevolt.com. 17 Mar. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. <http://stilettorevolt.com/2009/03/barbie-50-years-of-controversy-2/>.

Pregnant Midge I chose this YouTube video while searching specifically for controversies and thoughts on the Pregnant Midge doll, a friend of Barbie. This video shows one sarcastic view on the Barbie’s pregnant friend and the way childbirth is over simplified. This video has a clear explicit rhetorical connection in that the maker of the video is not only an amateur but it also has a sarcastic tone that expresses his disbelief and disgust that Mattel would even create such a doll for young girls to play with. The cultural significance of this video is that it shows how this doll will give young girls the wrong idea about how babies are conceived and how they are birthed.

“Pregnant Barbie Doll Funny Video Review Mike Mozart of Funny JeepersMedia Video Channel on YouTube.” YouTube. 26 Mar. 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MgHAeYuYEg>.

Barbie Girl – Aqua I chose this music video because it is a well-known song that parodies the life of Barbie. This music video exaggerates the typical lifestyle of Barbie as it may be played out in the minds of young girls who play with this doll. This video has explicit rhetorical connection because it is a remix, in a way, of the stereotypes of Barbie put into an interesting music video that shows the singing group, Aqua’s opinion on the image Barbie has. The main argument of this video is that it shows the negative and carefree image of the Barbie and Ken dolls.

“Barbie Girl- Aqua (Music Video).” YouTube. 31 Jan. 2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dGcYH6Fwj8>.

Mixed Reviews about Black Barbie I found this article while searching for the controversy on Barbie and racial issues. This article shows two opposing views on the new black Barbies that were released by Mattel. This article has an implicit rhetorical connection because it shows multiple opinions but it doesn’t persuade readers to one view or another. It provides two sides of the controversy. The cultural significance of this article is that consumers argue that the black Barbie does not accurately portray what a real life black woman would look like while some argue that these Barbies are loved by young black girls. It also mentions the Oreo Black Barbie, which some people find offensive.

“New black Barbies get mixed reviews.” CNN.com. 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/21/black.barbies.irpt/>.

Barbie 50^th anniversary Fashion Show This YouTube video is of the Barbie Fashion show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2009 and it this shows how much of an impact the Barbie doll has on our culture and society. It is obviously important and significant enough for people to devote an entire fashion show where models are dressed in typical Barbie outfits. This video has an implicit rhetorical connection because it does not out-rightly persuade an audience toward one opinion, but there is an underlying message being given to society. The cultural significance of this video is that it, in and of itself, is a cultural artifact showing how our society looks to Barbie-like models as a symbol of beauty.

“Barbie™ Fashion Show – Mercedes Benz Fashion Week 2009.” YouTube. 14 Feb. 2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx2FZU3UKhk>.

Barbie’s cultural influence This website shows that Barbie dolls do affect they way young girls view themselves and it also gives them a false sense of what beauty truly is. This has explicit rhetorical connections because it clearly illustrates how Barbie causes young girls to feel inadequate and even resort to anorexia in order to emulate the doll and her flawless yet unrealistic looks. The cultural significance of this shows that Barbie dolls do affect a girl’s self-image but it also shows how parents play a role in how much they are willing to let their children be affected.

“Parental Influence Takes Precedence Over Barbie and the Media.” Empowered Parents – A Family Approach to Healthy Eating, Positive Body Image and the Prevention and Treatment of Eating Disorders. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://www.empoweredparents.com/1prevention/prevention_09.htm>.

Barbie 50^th Anniversary Party These photos show how much an affect Barbie has over the years for girls who are now grown women. This has an explicit rhetorical connection showing that Barbie has always been some sort of a role model or every little girl’s dream. The cultural significance is that if the Barbie doll had such an enormous impact on these women (who used to be little girls that played with the classic Barbies) won’t the Barbie dolls of today, in all their risqué and provocative attire, also influence the young girls and their self-image?

“Barbie’s 50th Birthday Beauty Pageant.” Metromix New York. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://newyork.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/photogallery/barbies-50th-birthday-beauty/1014240/photo/all>.

Barbie’s New Career as Computer Engineer This article discusses Barbie’s new career. Being a computer engineer will be her 126^th career. This has an explicit rhetorical connection because it persuades readers to view Barbie as an influential and positive role model for girls in various fields of study and occupations. Barbie and her numerous careers encourages kids to choose what they want to be and it sends the message that you can do whatever you set your mind out to do regardless if you are a woman in a predominantly male career. The cultural significance of this article is its portrayal of the progression of women and their role in the work force and in society.

“Barbie’s Next Career? Computer Engineer.” NYTimes.com. 12 Feb. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/barbies-next-career-computer-engineer/?scp=3&sq=Barbie&st=cse>.

Mixed Tape

Melissa — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:58:53 +0000

This is a mixed tape created by a girl who is sending a message to this boy who broke her heart. They both liked each other for a while and he continued to lead her on, but then one day he told her that they couldn’t be together anymore. And he acts like nothing ever really happened between them, but the girl still has feelings for him. So these are songs that express her transition between holding on to the past and living in a period where its hard to move on to a point where she slowly realizes that she can finally live her life without him.

I Never Told You – Colbie Caillat

And now, I miss everything about you. Can’t believe that I still want you. And after all the things we’ve been through. I miss everything about you. This song shows how she still holds on to what they had.

Like We Never Loved At All – Faith Hill

I swear you looked right through me. But I’m still living with your goodbye. And you’re just going on with your life / Don’t you have the slightest feelings left for me? This song shows how even though the boy said goodbye, the girl still has feelings for him. He seems to be able to move on but she’s still living in their past.

Over You – Jordyn Taylor

But we drifted far from where we used to be. Wish I could let go. But I can’t seem to get over you. This song continues to express how the girl sees how they’ve been distanced. She knows that she should let go but she doesn’t know how to move on with out him.

When Am I Gonna Get Over You – Leann Rimes

You told me on the day that you left me to take real good care of myself. But it’s so hard to do if I can’t have you here to hold me when I want nobody else. When am I going to get over you and stop living in the past? This song shows how the girl can’t seem to move on because she keeps thinking about him all the time.

Its Alright, Its OK – Ashley Tisdale

It’s Alright, it’s OK. I’m so much better without you. I won’t be sorry. This song helps her realize that things will be okay without him.

Better In Time – Leona Lewis

Thought I couldn’t live without you. It’s gonna hurt when it heals too. It’ll all get better in time. And even though I really love you. I’m gonna smile cause I deserve to. It’ll all get better in time. This song shows that she’s ready to think about herself again and be freed from her previous vulnerability and sadness. This gives a truthful and realistic statement of letting go.

Goodbye To You – Michelle Branch

I still get lost in your eyes. And it seems that I can’t live a day without you / And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time. I want what’s yours and I want what’s mine. I want you. But I’m not giving in this time. This song shows that occasionally she’ll feel like going back to him and just falling into that same cycle all over again, but she knows she has to be strong.

I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

It took all the strength I had not to fall apart. kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart and I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself. I used to cry. Now I hold my head up high and you see me somebody new. This is the last song and it shows how she is able to start over new. She doesn’t need to cry herself to sleep anymore. This relationship has been a growing and healing experience for her and now she can be happy and live her life.

Controversy

Melissa — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:59:41 +0000

It’s been fifty years since her debut. An iconic model known to young girls all across America. Now she has reached global status. Embodying all types of prestigious occupations, representing cultures all across the world, and manifesting every young girl’s imagination. Who is this alleged symbol of youth and girlish fun? The one and only Barbie, of course. But is she still the same Barbie after all these years? What about her more modern looks that are constantly being revamped–more risqué to keep up with the latest American trends? And more importantly is this new image of Barbie, representing the pop culture of America, okay for the young girls who adore this doll so much?

Hello world!

Melissa — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:57:08 +0000

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!