National Geographic Precis

Rhetorical Précis:
Druids Committed Human Sacrifice, Cannibalism?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090320-druids-sacrifice-cannibalism.html

James Owen’s article Druids Committed Human Sacrifice, Cannibalism, featured in the National Geographic resurrects the claim that the ancient Celt leaders the Druids may have performed ritual sacrifices and even been partakers of human flesh. Owen uses a number of quotes and some vivid imagery to provide reason and evidence as to why many historians would consider the Druids as cannibals or leaders of ritualistic sacrifices. Owen uses a quote from Roman emperor at the time of the Druids Julius Caesar as evidence on why historians and archaeologist would think badly of the Druids who, “believe that the gods delight in the slaughter of prisoners and criminals, and when the supply of captives run short, they sacrifice even the innocent.” Owen even uses a fact about the Lindow Man who was discovered in England in the 1980s who had manicured finger nails and a preserved gut, but with bones broken as to take out the ingestible bone marrow. The discovery of the Lindow Man suggest that the Druids could have been leaders who performed ritual sacrifices or cannibals who devoured humans in a painful manner, “rope tightened around the neck,throat cut”, because of advancing Roman troops. Owen’s purpose is to bring to light more evidence and support for the claim that the ancient Druids could have been cannibals.

Discussion Questions:
Style: Does the numerous quotes in Owen’s article made by historians make the argument more plausible even though some evidence is only inferences?
Application: Could the possibility of Druids being cannibals have influenced other peoples?

Time Article Precis

Ashley J. Lewis
Per. 6: AP English Language
March 17, 2009

Rhetorical Précis:
A New Approach to Designing the AIDS Vaccine

The article A New Approach to Designing the AIDS Vaccine by Laura Blue discusses the efforts made by several scientists and researchers to come up with a new and effective vaccine for AIDS by using antibodies naturally produced in the body. Blue investigates the new approach to finding a cure for the growing AIDS epidemic while also exposing a number of the failed attempts at discovering a cure. Through the use of expert opinions and quotes from known researches, statistics, and facts Blue is able to better interpret the ideas that researchers have for designing a new AIDS vaccine. In her article Blue quotes a top researcher at Rockefeller University in New York who studies the antibodies that can possibly help to prevent AIDS; Michel Nussenzweig stated, “It’s the first time that anybody’s really looked at what the antibody response is.” Blue demonstrates the drastic need for an AIDS vaccine when she cites the significantly high number of AIDS cases throughout the world in 2007 alone, “…with some 2.5 million new HIV cases worldwide in 2007, including nearly half a million children.” Blue’s purpose is to spread knowledge about, what appears to be, promising breakthroughs with AIDS. Her audience is comprised of health enthusiasts and people who care about the increasing AIDS epidemic.
Discussion Questions:
Style: Does Blue’s constant use of quotes make the writing appear too filled with face and not enough writing?
Application: Would the general public do anything to possible aid the researchers?

Stiff (Post #3 pgs.222-292)

The final chapters of Mary Roach's Stiff are indeed some of her best. With the use of rhetorical questions and logical appeals Roach not only gives more uses of the human cadaver, but also ventures into indirectly asking the reader, "What will become of your body after you die?", while assessing what will become of her own body. At this point in the book cadaver uses have become seemingly boundless, however Roach probes back further in time to discuss the uses of the human cadaver as a source of a variety(an extremely wide variety at that) of medicinal uses beyond that of organ donation. She explains with the use of expert opinion and research as to how blood from a cadaver could be transfused into that of an ailing person, or how asthma could be treated with placenta, or vision problems could be treated with the spit of a young man. Roach also appeals to logic as she describes the circumstances by which countries like China find human cannibalism ritualistic and even traditional, but here in American we would tend to think of it as nothing more that grotesque; she states, "We are all products of our upbringing, our culture, our need to conform."(p.236). After describing the last uses of the human cadaver, Roach explores the possibilities one could do with their bodies after death. In great detail she spoke of human compost and its return to the earth, asking rhetorical questions like, "Is there a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of the body?" She also discusses the idea of donating the brain to science. Roach ends with plaguing not only herself but the reader in wondering where will her body end up once she has finally laid her pen to rest.

Clarification:
Did the men who were mellified( beginning of Ch. 10) die from all the consumption of honey or excreting all of the honey?

Application:
Do you think any one would consider any of the options after death mentioned by Roach in Stiff?

Would you rather( You don't have to answer):
Would you rather be mellified or have parts of your skin grafted not to a burn victim, but to male who feels he needs a much needed "enhancement"?

Stiff (Post #2 pgs. 148-221)

While continuing to use humor and imagery Mary Roach goes on to include countless amounts of factual evidence, comparisons, and some irony to describe even more uses of the human cadaver, and its contributions to the field of medicine, science, and even religion. Roach's humor has been ever present throughout the chapters of Stiff, but the vast amount of factual evidence she supplies in the text only continues to making her seem more credible. Roach quotes research project upon project, and quote upon quote when she explains the quest of many scientist to prove the authenticity "Shroud of Turin", "And this spot is precisely where the shrowd..."(p.160), Pierre Barbet. Roach also quotes some of the research projects from the early stages of head transplants; some being that of Vladimir Demikhov and his "Experimental Transplantation of Vital Organs" and Charles Guthrie's "Blood Vessel Surgery and Its Applications." Despite the seriousness of many cadaver uses, Roach can't help but use, either intentionally or unintentionally, humor with some of the comparisons, such as a simile, she makes. In one instance we find a cadaver being dissected and Roach remarks, "He's unzipping her like a parka."(p.169). Furthermore, Roach divulges into a bit of irony when she discusses the concepts of a "beating heart cadaver" who is legally dead (brain dead), but the body is able to thrive as to donate functioning organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.

Discussion Questions:
Clarification: On pg. 159 Roach talks about how Barbet experimented with bodies as he constructed his own crucifix, was the body he experimented with donated or even a cadaver, or could he have used live humans like Zugibe?
Application: Why are people so reluctant to proceed with sometime necessary head transplants, that would benefit others?

Stiff (Post #1 pgs.74-147)

Through the use of some humor, vivid imagery, and anecdotes Mary Roach writes in Stiff about how the cadaver is used for more than just the medical and anatomical research that she had previously mentioned andwhat many people would hope to donate their bodies and organs to. Rather than using cadavers for dissection purposes, a number of them can be and are used in place of crash test dummies to further promote knowledge of car safety, and most notably how much damage on impact can be done to the human body. Roach describes with humor the many things that a cadaver or "decedent" is unable to do such as, "They can't play water polo, or lace up their boots, or maximze their market share. They can't tell a joke, and they can't dance for beans." However in telling of the many things cadavers are unable to do, Roach also clarifies their ability to endure substantial amounts of pain, thus putting them in better postions for crash safety than dummies and live humans. Roach explores the causes of airplane crashes when she explains how the bodily remains of the deceased unwittingly tell tales of the crash. Roach describes being in contact with a colleague who used reports from autopsies to determine the causes of airplane crashes from the physical features of "survivors". Roach recalls being in the office with her colleague and probing through countless reports and photographs of people from a particular plane crash, and listening to her colleague as he came up with possible explanations and theories for the crash. Through several anecdotes Roach begins to explain how research regarding bullets to be used in war and by police officers were tested, and how cadavers gradually replaced animals like pigs that were once used for the tests.

Discussion Questions:
Clarification: Did Roach do the actual shooting of the "thigh", when she reported on the testing of the bullets that were not meant kill the opponent in battle?
Application: Do you think that people consider respect or reverence for themselves when they donate their bodies to medical or science research?