Living in Two Worlds by Marcus Mabry

This piece really touched me. I myself have the same feelings when it comes to education. There really are two different worlds.
I love the way how Marcuz Mabry shows the two different worlds. He shows the world the boy has in education where everything is easy. The boy doesn't have any type of burden. Then he shows the world of the boy's home.
The world of the boy's home was different. People in his family seemed to be struggling. The fact that he couldn't help them really made a connection with me.
I have family members like my mother who fight everyday to make sure I get what I need. And in school I have no burdens, life is much easier. Another feeling that I connected with was that the boy still kind of felt responsible of how his family was struggling. I can see where the boy was coming from. It's not your fault because education is important, but you do realize that they have to sacrifice something to benefit you. Like the boy in the essay I myself have two worlds.

What Happens When People Stop Being Polite by Chuck Klosterman

I have to say out of all the essays I've read, this is one really made me laugh. Chuck Klosterman sort of zoomed in on some of the factors of The Real world. I agree with this essay 100 percent. I believe everyone has either seen or heard of the show The Real World.
This piece seemed so real and down to earth. I think that it had a very bland and keen way of showing what I believe most people think about the show. The cast in The Real World all seem to be the same. It's true they all have their own personalities but when it comes down to it, is it really them or what they portray to the cameras?
Another point Chuck Klosterman made was the fact that people actually began to sort of mimic the show. One of the cast members could be in a situation and react a certain way. Later on the individual might use that same agility later on in their own personal lives. A example of that is when he's drinking with the two girls, and while they were drinking they discussed about how they would confront another roommate about her abrasive behavior. It made me laugh but I had to agree with him when he said "who makes plans to confront, a roommate?" Seriously, who really does that?

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell talked about the crimes that New York seemed to be facing. Their theory was based on the Broken Windows theory. In some cases this theory made a lot of good points. Most criminals actually would go into a neighborhood where the police probably wouldn't be called or looked as if nobody cared. If you go into a nice, clean, suburban area robberies are less likely to occur. The theory to me really says, if you want to live in a good area, you have to make the area you live in that way. Many people complain about where they live but fail to never do anything about it.
In the essay they believe crime had descended. However, when I think about the crimes they talked about, I kind of related it to today's society. In today's society people tend to still hop the trains or the buses or as they call it fare-beating. Yes the urination in the streets have declined and the drunkenness has been more discrete and maybe they have made a impact into stopping the crimes, but they are not fully dissipated yet. Problems in New York are still present and can upswing at any time!

Women's Conversation by Deborah Tannen

Deborah Tannen states that the men need the women as much as the women need the men. The strategy in the piece is known as inter independence, which both parties rely on each other. The men are the talkers and need someone to persuade. The women I believe are the listeners and are there for agreement. In this essay Tannen shows the soft yet visible side of how women think as opposed to the men. Her thesis to me is that from all the studies, men are typically more comfortable than women in giving information, opinions and speaking an authoritative way to a group, whereas women are more comfortable than men in supporting others!
This particular piece really grabbed my attention. What grabbed my attention was the comparison between the men and the women. I myself can really relate towards the difference of how men and women respond to different situations. In my English class, the responses of women are more sensitive and vulnerable to the situation. As towards the men, they carry their statements more aggressive and assertive. In this piece there are a lot of things that struck me, that would make me oppose her thesis. The women that I know other than my classmates, can be just as assertive as the men. Tannen believes that women are only there to support. However, women can be both supporting and assertive!

The Road to Timbuktu: Why I Travel by William Zinsser

This essay I thought it was interesting. I liked the idea of him telling the reader of the places that he went to and explained how he felt going there. I also liked that he makes sure the reader knows and realizes the passion that he has in traveling. In just the second paragraph I believe to see the thesis when he states, "I had a sheltered boyhood and was a cautious boy." To me it revealed the real reason of why he traveled.
William Zinsser uses great description in all his explanations as to telling the reader how he really feels about exploring. I love the part in piece where he states it as being apart of his DNA! He goes from when he was a child and was cautious, to what he calls "snipping the umbilical cord" and enlisting in the army. I thought it as his way of showing the transition of his life. From a boy to a man!