Close Reading (9/23)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-f-will-americas-voters-treated-like-children/2012/09/19/8d2f15e4-0277-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_story.html

Why Not Treat Voters Like Grown-Ups?

Diction: “In every year divisible by four, the dominant superstition of American politics—faith in the magic of presidential words and deeds…” The words dominant superstition and magic leads one to think of make believe. This is a form of satire because it shows the ridiculousness of the campaigns in how they go to extreme measures to support or oppose a given candidate. The word choice of narcissism in “…reaches an apogee that fees national narcissism…” gives insight into how we as Americans act. We feel that the president’s actions are attributed to everything happening in the world. This makes me wonder, are we concerned with the president’s policies? Or rather are we concerned with tearing down or building up the candidates?

Figurative language: “Romney called this the fruit of administration weakness…” In this quote, Romney’s use of the phrase “fruit of administration” is figurative language. The word fruit has a connotation of planting a seed, and nurturing the plant until it has grown and become stable to live on its own. When Romney paired fruit with administration he created an idea of Obama’s foreign policy being weak, thus enabling terrorist attacks. The administration is weak like a seed and allows for terrorist attacks to become bigger and more frequent like maturing fruit.

Imagery: When the author says, “It would require precise intellectual calipers to gauge which idea is silliest.” the choice of calipers brings to mind a precise measuring tool to measure a minute level of truth. This adds to the sarcasm of the editorial as the author opinionates how Romney and Obama argue over whose fault it was that the terrorists attacked us.

Diction: “None of the people involved-some cunning, some deranged—take their cues from utterances by America’s president.” The author chose the words cunning and deranged as means to describe the people involved in the attacks. This strengthens the author’s opinion that the real cause of the attacks is not the failed foreign policy, nor is it the video, instead it stems from power struggles.

Imagery: “Childlike credulity about the presidents’ abilities to subdue turbulent portions of the world by projecting “strength,” or to “manage” the domestic economy, encourages political infantilism.” Tying Americans’ thought process of how if we are strong as a nation then the world will be filled with peace to a childlike credulity creates and image in the reader mind of a simple minded individual without keen intellect powers. While reading this I found myself asking why are we so simple minded? Perhaps it is because it requires too much thought and will provide truth that we care not to know.

Figurative Language: The word erogenous is expanded on by the phrases “’which presidential candidate “would you prefer to have take care of you if you were sick” and which “would you rather invite to dinner at your home”’. The public follows their feelings not rational thought.

Imagery: ‘“Tell me you trouble,” urged President Franklin Roosevelt in a broadcast fireside chat. But the idea of the president as consoler in chief and mast of the bedside manner was unique to FDR...”’ This paints a picture in my head of a grandfather sitting next to me and reading a book to me in bed. However, FDR was no grandfather, he was an aristocrat. Furthering this idea the reader is asked to “imagine, if you can, wanting Dwight Eisenhower at your bedside.” The idea is absurd; the image created is based on false pretenses to appeal to the public. The author is again saying that the people are responding in a childlike manner to candidates.

Diction: “Someday, someone is going to seek the presidency by demystifying it. Many voters will be astonished by, and even be grateful for, the novelty of being addressed as adults”. The word demystifying connects back to the beginning of the article when the author says the presidency is magical. He shows that there is nothing magical about the presidency in fact it is just how we perceive what the president is capable of doing abroad and at home.