11 Matching Annotations
  1. Nov 2017
    1. entered the University of Chicago at fifteen.

      Here, Gladwell establishes the credibility of his source by stating that he was a child prodigy. By noting that Ekman is a highly intelligent individual,

    2. Ekman and Friesen ultimately assembled all these combinations

      The process described in this paragraph, and in the three or four previous paragraphs, maintains the flow of one big idea. He uses this structure to make the point that the study of the face requires attention to the minute details and a massive time commitment. It also describes the sheer magnitude of the study itself and the daunting task that these two scholars took on.

    3. By listing out the names of each expression without actually identifying them or using very scientific language to describe specific movements, Gladwell conveys how deeply Ekman has studied the face. The structure here also emphasizes the insane number of different facial expressions that are possible and grants Ekman authority by demonstrating how thoroughly he has studied each and every one of them.

  2. Oct 2017
    1. the sun beginning its surrender

      The imagery here is powerful. "Surrender" implies that during the day the heat of the sun essentially "attacks" workers with its heat and only adds to their suffering as they work.

    2. White people got lazy and let the Spanish take over

      Second conversation on the idea that migrant workers take on jobs that Americans themselves see as beneath them.

    3. The reason was money

      What good is money if you almost kill yourself trying to earn it?

    4. a better one

      Is "better" good enough?

    5. the American way,

      second conversation !!

    6. If we imagine them having anything to do with our lives at all, the picture isn't good

      Second conversation on American society's tendency to turn the other cheek because it's easier than addressing the harsh reality of the situation. "Our" puts responsibility on the writer as well as the audience which lends authority and eliminating condescension.

    7. be thankful for what you've got

      There is a a second conversation on social class and mobility here. This entire paragraph and the one for before it both seem so final. It's like Urbano knows that life as a picker is rough but it certainly could be worse. Urbano is described as having a "glass half full" mentality. But the tone seems to be a mix of acceptance and regret, as if the life he had hoped the US would offer his family and their reality didn't really match up.

    8. You

      The use of second person narration is very direct. It forces the readers to put themselves into the scene being described. By using “you” it makes the stress of the scene seem more real and more raw, especially if you are a parent (Second conversation about parenting?). Thus, allowing readers to connect more deeply to the emotion of the story and the unpredictable lifestyle that Pedro’s family has to lead.