Rhetorical Response #2

Rhetorical Blog Response #2
Gangi and Parker had very meaningful essays that were both entertaining and easy to read. Some things did surprise me with Gangi’s essay involving tattoos, but I thought Parker’s essay was very understandable. A few questions have risen in my mind about the essays, but overall, both were well put together.
Gangi’s essay was a very engaging story to read, but there was one thing that puzzled me. Why was she so easily influenced to change her mind about tattoos when she had such a negative outlook on them when she was younger? The only real reason she gave was that she realized that it was a perfect way of someone to express themselves. In one moment she mentioned that when she went to talk to her doctor about the long term effects, she still decided to get a tattoo, which did surprise me (Gangi 1). I think any good doctor would persuade their patients NOT to get tattoos because of the horrible effects they can have on the skin. My uncle is a dermatologist, and he has told me of the health issues that will arise in people with tattoos later in their life. Yes, tattoos are cool, but they are HORRIBLE for the skin. It surprised me that she still wanted to get a tattoo after laying out the pros and cons, because it seems as If there would be more cons than pros. However in her case, I can see how she thought that was the best way to express her story (Gangi 26).
What exactly was her story? She mentions that she felt it was right to get a tattoo because of personal reasons. But what were those reasons? She did a good job of explaining why people get tattoos, but she never really specifically stated why she got hers. Although she may have gotten a tattoo just for personal interest, it still confused me as to why she did it and she should have explained it more in detail. I think she wrote this essay to express the idea that there is a whole other side to tattooing, and that people should consider that people like to express themselves in ways like this, but it would have been even better if she explained exactly as to why she got the tattoos.
Parker’s essay did not confuse me or surprise me in any way. However, I do think that issues among coffee shops will increase due to Starbucks. Parker mentions that at one moment that there have been issues involving Starbucks and other smaller coffee shops (Parker 32). The question I have to ask is what happens if almost all smaller coffee shops go out of business just because of Starbucks? Will she have the same outlook on her coffee store that she has had so much meaning for? In a way I think she will. I can understand how Starbucks means so much to her, given that both she and her dad have been brought together closer due to the Starbucks.
I do think that the readings agree in many ways. Both essays agree on a sense of personal experiences and how the small things in life can make the biggest differences. In Gangi’s essay, it is mentioned how tattoos have made her look at people in a different way, and in Parker’s essay it is mentioned how Starbuck’s has made an impact on the relationship between her dad and she. Both stories imply everyday scenarios that happen to people every day. However there are a few differences in both the essays. Gangi’s essay is more about sending a message to readers about how people look at one another, and Parker’s essay is talking about more of a personal experience. I was a little more engaged in Parker’s essay because it seems as if it had more meaning than the other essay. Her essay was more enjoyable to read because of the specific details she expressed when talking about Starbucks and the relationship she had with her dad.
I also think that both of these papers were good examples of discovery essays. Since our next paper assignment is to write a discovery essay, I have a better idea of what to think about when I am writing my paper. I believe that a discovery essay will turn out better if I am expressing more details and writing more personally. If writers do this, their essay will be more enjoyable to read.