1.) John McMurty's essay begins with a personal anecdote about the results of playing sports- especially football- since childhood. When he can no longer ignore his physical condition, he seeks treatment and his hospitalized. How does the anecdote lend credibility to his argument?
A.) The personal anecdote lends the credibilty to his argument because he can speak from his own expierence, hence "personal anecdote". It tells the reader he knows the effects of playing football for so long and playing as hard as he did. For as if a singer tried to explain the after effects of playing football from personal expierence, there would be none. But also, not much in common.
2.) Paragraphs 5-7 compare and contrast football and war. Is this comparison convincing? How does the comparison appeal to logos?
A.) John tells readers that the "resemblance between football and war is, indeed, striking." The comparison is very convincing. When McMurtry informs the reader about the simalarity between the vocabulary used in football and in the military, some of them include: ' "Hurt 'em! Level 'em! Kill 'em!" ' Not only are they similar, but the meaning behind them, for one, (military) its in the literal usage. The other (football), not so literal...or is it?
5.) McMurty also addresses the argument that games such as football allow us to discharge our "original-sin urge into less harmful channels than, say war" (para. 15). Cite passages where McMurtry counters this argument. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
A.) One passage that counters McMurtry argument is, "And progressively and inexorably, as I moved through high school, college and pro leagures, my body was dismantled. Piece by piece." Surely he wouldn't really say that and mean it is good for males to go through that kind of torture and say it is supposd to be helpful. Because, aren't people trying to stop the wars going around the world. And trying to prevent the harms that come with war...and yet he compared football to war and said it was all good. I do, but at the same time, agree with him. He has some good reasonings for it being good and producing "channels" to stay away from war. But the effects of both are not good, though one is applauded (football), and the other looked at with sadness(war).
7.) Who is McMurtry's audience? Is it necessary for the reader to understand or care about football in order to understand what McMurtry is saying about society? Explain.
A.) McMurtry's audience would probably be some of the students he had taught or was teaching at the time of the artical's birth. And therefore there could have been football players, or family members of them...or even more...a student with a brother, or father who's in the military. I do not think it would really matter for a person to care about football to understand what McMurtry is saying about society, though it might be essential to understand a little bit about football. To have seen some of the games and see the amount of energy and pressure on the players. It is also important because then, you can see both sides of the wall, war vs football...they are a lot alike...aren't they?
A.) The personal anecdote lends the credibilty to his argument because he can speak from his own expierence, hence "personal anecdote". It tells the reader he knows the effects of playing football for so long and playing as hard as he did. For as if a singer tried to explain the after effects of playing football from personal expierence, there would be none. But also, not much in common.
2.) Paragraphs 5-7 compare and contrast football and war. Is this comparison convincing? How does the comparison appeal to logos?
A.) John tells readers that the "resemblance between football and war is, indeed, striking." The comparison is very convincing. When McMurtry informs the reader about the simalarity between the vocabulary used in football and in the military, some of them include: ' "Hurt 'em! Level 'em! Kill 'em!" ' Not only are they similar, but the meaning behind them, for one, (military) its in the literal usage. The other (football), not so literal...or is it?
5.) McMurty also addresses the argument that games such as football allow us to discharge our "original-sin urge into less harmful channels than, say war" (para. 15). Cite passages where McMurtry counters this argument. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
A.) One passage that counters McMurtry argument is, "And progressively and inexorably, as I moved through high school, college and pro leagures, my body was dismantled. Piece by piece." Surely he wouldn't really say that and mean it is good for males to go through that kind of torture and say it is supposd to be helpful. Because, aren't people trying to stop the wars going around the world. And trying to prevent the harms that come with war...and yet he compared football to war and said it was all good. I do, but at the same time, agree with him. He has some good reasonings for it being good and producing "channels" to stay away from war. But the effects of both are not good, though one is applauded (football), and the other looked at with sadness(war).
7.) Who is McMurtry's audience? Is it necessary for the reader to understand or care about football in order to understand what McMurtry is saying about society? Explain.
A.) McMurtry's audience would probably be some of the students he had taught or was teaching at the time of the artical's birth. And therefore there could have been football players, or family members of them...or even more...a student with a brother, or father who's in the military. I do not think it would really matter for a person to care about football to understand what McMurtry is saying about society, though it might be essential to understand a little bit about football. To have seen some of the games and see the amount of energy and pressure on the players. It is also important because then, you can see both sides of the wall, war vs football...they are a lot alike...aren't they?
Aliyah, you did a really nice job on answering question one. I like how you brought up the personal experience in your answer, ironically I brought up personal experience in my answer as well.
ReplyDelete5. You could also consider what he said about ruining a man's nature. Football encourages a peaceful man to be violent.
ReplyDeleteTowards question 5 i liked how you intergrated qoutes to explain your answer.
ReplyDelete