Outside Reading Week 5 Part A

Vocab:
guile (273)- crafty or artful deception

adiabatic (248)- occuring without gain or loss of heat

Appeals:
"If Dad didn't let me have the materials I needed, I'd still get them, one way or another, no matter what it took-guile, tricks, or outright theft. I didn't need Dad. I let every juicy morsel of anger and bitterness well up inside me, making no attempt to stanch any of it. Instead of hating the feeling, I gloried in it. I was becoming tough, just like him" (273). This to me is an emotional appeal because it shows Homer's growing independence and his still existing ignorance, which is common among most teenagers in any era. Homer may think he is becoming tough and independent like his dad, but I think the truth is that he has reached a breaking point, where all he wants to do now is rebel. The style with which this phrase is written is almost reflective. Homer chooses very descriptive words to convey his feelings and his tone is even a little shameful of himself.

"...I felt my soul curl up and die, and then all the blood that was in my body drained completely to my feet. I was numb and in exquisite pain at the same moment" (280). I thought this was also an emotional appeal. The word choice is clearly used to express an emotion that Homer is feeling, and maybe even to relate to the audience. The words are intense and very strong, but they would probably match the feelings of someone getting their heart broken. When I actually stop to analyze the situation, I realize that Homer kind of had it coming and that it's probably not as big of a deal as he makes it. But because of the word choice, I can understand his side of the story and feel exactly what he felt at that moment.

"I looked and knew the reason for the failure when I saw a deep rent right at the nearly invisible strip of weld. A butt weld was where the two ends of the steel sheet that made the tube were simply pushed together and welded" (272). Homer describes the type of weld that had held the rocket together. Because this phrase is merely a description that paints a picture and helps the reader decipher between the different types of welds, it is a logical appeal.

Quote:
"My whole life, I had always been busy with some scheme to make things go my way. Now I knew there was nothing I could do to make things right, not now, not ever....The worst thing I had ever felt in my life had taken control of me. I felt: nothing" (292). I wish that I could write down this entire paragraph because it's a very strong quote, but I think this little bit will have to suffice. After the accident at the mine, Mr. Bykovski's death, and his dad's injury, Homer feels like his whole world is crashing around him. He believes that Mr. Bykovski's death was his fault and he probably wishes that he were nicer to his dad, who could've died that day. A realization hits him that although his future is at stake, not everyone has to sacrifice themselves to get him there. Even though Coalwood is dying, it is still functioning. And even if Homer has his eyes set up into the sky, there is still life occurring beneath him down in the mines. Being a naturally well-meaning person, Homer wants, more than anything right now, to help fix the problem, to take back what he's done, but he knows that he can't. It seems the dangers of the mine has finally made an impact on him, and I think that Homer has come to realize that the real world is not a friendly place. Accidents happen and there will be nothing he can do to stop them. His problems with Dorothy and fight against his Dad mean nothing in the real world. He might think he's tough and independent but it seems he's come to realize that he's not. There is so much more Homer can learn before really growing up.

Theme:
You can't control the world, but make a difference with what you're given.