So in my English class I have to write a paper on a visual text. I have to describe its design and analyze how these design elements work to make a meaningful whole. Here is the picture for it.
My thesis for it is that "the picture represents the individuals in America, liberal in this case, who exercise the right of the 1st Amendment to express their political and social beliefs."
My question is, do my body paragraphs support my thesis? I feel as if I'm talking about liberals and expression, and not on the political viewpoints in general. Or am I in the right track of it.
Also, any tips on improving my essay in general is greatly appreciated.
They say a picture says a thousand words, and in this scenario the audience can actually read the words. In the picture shown, a 1970's Ford Pinto displays a multitude of car stickers with political and social references across the bumper of the car. This picture represents the individuals in America; liberal in this case, who exercise the right of the 1st Amendment to express their political and social beliefs. This form of expression was made popular in the 1970's. Freedom of expression has come a long way since it was allowed in the Constitution, and it is always interesting seeing how people are embracing that today.
The first response I had to this picture was, "Wow! That's a lot of stickers. I wonder why anyone wants that many stickers to cover up their car. It must be liberal person." I quickly read the tickers and my response was answered. All of the stickers had very liberal messages; whether it involved peace or the environment, the message had a liberal influence to it. Messages like "Peace is Possible" and "One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day" were just a couple of examples of how political these messages are. Some other details that caught my eye were how old the car was, and the question of "Why put so many stickers of the same message?"
I then thought of that question, and a theory popped up in my head. The designs of each of the stickers are very colorful. These stickers stand out one by one, and if the designs made myself read each message, then it would surely make the driver behind that car read it too. Without a doubt, many political advocates are very vocal about their beliefs and ideas. Examples are the Occupy movements taking place right now, and even the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. These stickers are merely just another method of expressing it. I could see how many individuals out there would be aggravated or annoyed at how many car stickers there are, but they cannot doing anything about it. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees this. Having said that, a person like me shouldn't be surprised at how many stickers one places on their car, but respect their choice for exercising their right as a citizen, assuming they are an American citizen. That person can do whatever he or she pleases with their car, whether it is to paint it purple, or just add some stickers to it.
The car stickers are all very thought provoking. These messages are substantial ways to catch a driver's attention, or even a reader like myself. Once you read one of the messages, you cannot help but read all of them. The message, "War: Doesn't Decide Who's Right Only Who's Left", gives the audience a little thought in their head about their own personal beliefs regarding war. A sticker of a rainbow most likely tells the audience that the owner of the car supports gay marriage, or even that the driver himself/herself is part of the gay community. Another message, "No One is Free When Others are Oppressed", gives an added thought to the peace stickers, because these words are also directed towards world peace. "Support Organic Farmers," hints at a more "green" Earth because organic farming is environmentally friendly for the world. The sticker that stood out the most was the political message saying, "One Nuclear Bomb Can Ruin Your Whole Day." A phrase like this not only catches the audience's eye, but it also makes them think about how it actually would ruin someone's day. Clearly, these sayings are parallel for the individual that holds liberal beliefs and not conservative ones.
While these stickers embody a stereotype of the driver, another aspect of the picture is the actual car. A 1970's Ford Pinto, with rust and a fender supported by bungee cords, is a perfect stereotype for someone that would have a plethora of car stickers. If the reader looks at the license plate of the car, he or she would notice the California license tag. The plate indicates a liberal norm for the driver. According to study released by the Bay Area Center for Voting and Research (BACVR), California had 11 states that were in the top 25 list of most liberal cities. Northern California was predominantly liberal, while Southern California was split evenly conservative and liberal. While California has been fundamentally conservative, the 1960's showed an increase in liberalism, specifically when the California Supreme Court allowed various liberal reforms, such as being the first state to create true strict liability in product liability cases. The history and society of California shows why the license plate fits with the messages the stickers have. Within the past decade, more and more liberal views and ideas are appearing and becoming successful, and simple car stickers like these are probably a small reason for it.
The main purpose of the visual is to show the audience a political message, in the form of simple car stickers. This form of media really validates that a picture can say a thousand words. With messages from supporting organic farmers, to striving for world peace, these stickers show how liberal ideals can be seen in the simplest of location. My original response to the visual text was how many stickers there were, but now my focus lies in how the stickers represent a strong form of expression, and the people that use this. This visual text is a great picture on expression and a good topic for discussion in classrooms across the country.
Hmm, it seems as though the picture could not be uploaded. Here is a picture of it in the link
wotan.liu.edu/home/lbai/bumperstickers.jpg
My thesis for it is that "the picture represents the individuals in America, liberal in this case, who exercise the right of the 1st Amendment to express their political and social beliefs."
My question is, do my body paragraphs support my thesis? I feel as if I'm talking about liberals and expression, and not on the political viewpoints in general. Or am I in the right track of it.
Also, any tips on improving my essay in general is greatly appreciated.
They say a picture says a thousand words, and in this scenario the audience can actually read the words. In the picture shown, a 1970's Ford Pinto displays a multitude of car stickers with political and social references across the bumper of the car. This picture represents the individuals in America; liberal in this case, who exercise the right of the 1st Amendment to express their political and social beliefs. This form of expression was made popular in the 1970's. Freedom of expression has come a long way since it was allowed in the Constitution, and it is always interesting seeing how people are embracing that today.
The first response I had to this picture was, "Wow! That's a lot of stickers. I wonder why anyone wants that many stickers to cover up their car. It must be liberal person." I quickly read the tickers and my response was answered. All of the stickers had very liberal messages; whether it involved peace or the environment, the message had a liberal influence to it. Messages like "Peace is Possible" and "One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day" were just a couple of examples of how political these messages are. Some other details that caught my eye were how old the car was, and the question of "Why put so many stickers of the same message?"
I then thought of that question, and a theory popped up in my head. The designs of each of the stickers are very colorful. These stickers stand out one by one, and if the designs made myself read each message, then it would surely make the driver behind that car read it too. Without a doubt, many political advocates are very vocal about their beliefs and ideas. Examples are the Occupy movements taking place right now, and even the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. These stickers are merely just another method of expressing it. I could see how many individuals out there would be aggravated or annoyed at how many car stickers there are, but they cannot doing anything about it. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees this. Having said that, a person like me shouldn't be surprised at how many stickers one places on their car, but respect their choice for exercising their right as a citizen, assuming they are an American citizen. That person can do whatever he or she pleases with their car, whether it is to paint it purple, or just add some stickers to it.
The car stickers are all very thought provoking. These messages are substantial ways to catch a driver's attention, or even a reader like myself. Once you read one of the messages, you cannot help but read all of them. The message, "War: Doesn't Decide Who's Right Only Who's Left", gives the audience a little thought in their head about their own personal beliefs regarding war. A sticker of a rainbow most likely tells the audience that the owner of the car supports gay marriage, or even that the driver himself/herself is part of the gay community. Another message, "No One is Free When Others are Oppressed", gives an added thought to the peace stickers, because these words are also directed towards world peace. "Support Organic Farmers," hints at a more "green" Earth because organic farming is environmentally friendly for the world. The sticker that stood out the most was the political message saying, "One Nuclear Bomb Can Ruin Your Whole Day." A phrase like this not only catches the audience's eye, but it also makes them think about how it actually would ruin someone's day. Clearly, these sayings are parallel for the individual that holds liberal beliefs and not conservative ones.
While these stickers embody a stereotype of the driver, another aspect of the picture is the actual car. A 1970's Ford Pinto, with rust and a fender supported by bungee cords, is a perfect stereotype for someone that would have a plethora of car stickers. If the reader looks at the license plate of the car, he or she would notice the California license tag. The plate indicates a liberal norm for the driver. According to study released by the Bay Area Center for Voting and Research (BACVR), California had 11 states that were in the top 25 list of most liberal cities. Northern California was predominantly liberal, while Southern California was split evenly conservative and liberal. While California has been fundamentally conservative, the 1960's showed an increase in liberalism, specifically when the California Supreme Court allowed various liberal reforms, such as being the first state to create true strict liability in product liability cases. The history and society of California shows why the license plate fits with the messages the stickers have. Within the past decade, more and more liberal views and ideas are appearing and becoming successful, and simple car stickers like these are probably a small reason for it.
The main purpose of the visual is to show the audience a political message, in the form of simple car stickers. This form of media really validates that a picture can say a thousand words. With messages from supporting organic farmers, to striving for world peace, these stickers show how liberal ideals can be seen in the simplest of location. My original response to the visual text was how many stickers there were, but now my focus lies in how the stickers represent a strong form of expression, and the people that use this. This visual text is a great picture on expression and a good topic for discussion in classrooms across the country.
Hmm, it seems as though the picture could not be uploaded. Here is a picture of it in the link
wotan.liu.edu/home/lbai/bumperstickers.jpg